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Informing the research agenda for optimizing audit and feedback interventions: results of a prioritization exercise.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Audit and feedback (A&F) interventions are one of the most common approaches for implementing evidence-based practices. A key barrier to more effective A&F interventions is the lack of a theory-guided approach to the accumulation of evidence. Recent interviews with theory experts identified 313 theory-informed hypotheses, spread across 30 themes, about how to create more effective A&F interventions. In the current survey, we sought to elicit from stakeholders which hypotheses were most likely to advance the field if studied further.

Methods

From the list of 313, three members of the research team identified 216 that were clear and distinguishable enough for prioritization. A web-based survey was then sent to 211 A&F intervention stakeholders asking them to choose up to 50 'priority' hypotheses following the header "A&F interventions will be more effective if…". Analyses included frequencies of endorsement of the individual hypotheses and themes into which they were grouped.

Results

68 of the 211 invited participants responded to the survey. Seven hypotheses were chosen by >?50% of respondents, including A&F interventions will be more effective… "if feedback is provided by a trusted source"; "if recipients are involved in the design/development of the feedback intervention"; "if recommendations related to the feedback are based on good quality evidence"; "if the behaviour is under the control of the recipient"; "if it addresses barriers and facilitators (drivers) to behaviour change"; "if it suggests clear action plans"; and "if target/goal/optimal rates are clear and explicit". The most endorsed theme was Recipient Priorities (four hypotheses were chosen 92 times as a 'priority' hypotheses).

Conclusions

This work determined a set of hypotheses thought by respondents to be to be most likely to advance the field through future A&F intervention research. This work can inform a coordinated research agenda that may more efficiently lead to more effective A&F interventions.

SUBMITTER: Colquhoun HL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7805176 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Informing the research agenda for optimizing audit and feedback interventions: results of a prioritization exercise.

Colquhoun Heather L HL Carroll Kelly K Eva Kevin W KW Grimshaw Jeremy M JM Ivers Noah N Michie Susan S Brehaut Jamie C JC

BMC medical research methodology 20210113 1

<h4>Background</h4>Audit and feedback (A&F) interventions are one of the most common approaches for implementing evidence-based practices. A key barrier to more effective A&F interventions is the lack of a theory-guided approach to the accumulation of evidence. Recent interviews with theory experts identified 313 theory-informed hypotheses, spread across 30 themes, about how to create more effective A&F interventions. In the current survey, we sought to elicit from stakeholders which hypotheses ...[more]

PMID: 33435873

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Project description:BackgroundThis paper describes the process and outcome of a consultative exercise undertaken to develop a medium-term agenda for the next decade, and to identify a short list of immediate priorities for health equity research in India. This exercise was undertaken over 2014-2017 as part of 'Closing the Gap: Health Equity Research Initiative in India', implemented by the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, in south India.MethodsWe adopted a five-step process for the agenda- and priority-setting exercise. The first step, which lasted for approximately 1 year, consisted of a synthesis of evidence on health inequities in India produced during 2000-2014 and identification of gaps. In the second step, we shared the evidence gaps identified and engaged with diverse stakeholders to develop the research agenda through face-to-face and online consultations. In step three, we consolidated the research agenda and identified continuing gaps. Key informant consultations by phone or email with experts in the areas where gaps were identified constituted the fourth step. In the fifth and final step, we organised an expert group consultation to review the agenda and identify immediate research priorities through a consensus process. Overall, approximately 220 persons participated in the entire process, and consisted of persons from diverse disciplines and sectors.ResultsThe research agenda and immediate priorities that emerged may be categorised into four themes, namely (1) descriptive research on the extent, nature and time trends in health inequities; (2) explanatory research on the pathways through which health inequities are created, and the political or policy environment that facilitates the process; (3) explanatory research that examines how health systems facilitate or mitigate inequities in healthcare; and (4) intervention research on initiatives that helped to mitigate health inequities, and examines the contributing factors.ConclusionThe strength of this research agenda is that it was developed through a broad-based consultation with stakeholders representing diverse disciplines, sectors and constituencies. The use of this agenda will help generate evidence that will facilitate India moving closer to the Sustainable Development Goal of leaving no one behind.

Project description:Audit and feedback (A&F) is a common strategy for helping health providers to implement evidence into practice. Despite being extensively studied, health care A&F interventions remain variably effective, with overall effect sizes that have not improved since 2003. Contributing to this stagnation is the fact that most health care A&F interventions have largely been designed without being informed by theoretical understanding from the behavioral and social sciences. To determine if the trend can be improved, the objective of this study was to develop a list of testable, theory-informed hypotheses about how to design more effective A&F interventions.Using purposive sampling, semi-structured 60-90-min telephone interviews were conducted with experts in theories related to A&F from a range of fields (e.g., cognitive, health and organizational psychology, medical decision-making, economics). Guided by detailed descriptions of A&F interventions from the health care literature, interviewees described how they would approach the problem of designing improved A&F interventions. Specific, theory-informed hypotheses about the conditions for effective design and delivery of A&F interventions were elicited from the interviews. The resulting hypotheses were assigned by three coders working independently into themes, and categories of themes, in an iterative process.We conducted 28 interviews and identified 313 theory-informed hypotheses, which were placed into 30 themes. The 30 themes included hypotheses related to the following five categories: A&F recipient (seven themes), content of the A&F (ten themes), process of delivery of the A&F (six themes), behavior that was the focus of the A&F (three themes), and other (four themes).We have identified a set of testable, theory-informed hypotheses from a broad range of behavioral and social science that suggest conditions for more effective A&F interventions. This work demonstrates the breadth of perspectives about A&F from non-healthcare-specific disciplines in a way that yields testable hypotheses for healthcare A&F interventions. These results will serve as the foundation for further work seeking to set research priorities among the A&F research community.

Project description:Background: Value of information (VOI) analysis quantifies the value of additional research in reducing decision uncertainty. It addresses adoption and research decisions simultaneously by comparing the expected benefits and costs of research studies. Nevertheless, the application of this approach in practice remains limited. Objectives: To apply VOI analysis in health care interventions to guide adoption decisions, optimize trial design, and prioritize research. Methods: The analysis was from the perspective of Queensland Health, Australia. It included four interventions: clinically indicated catheter replacement, tissue adhesive for securing catheters, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in caesarean sections, and nutritional support for preventing pressure ulcers. For each intervention, cost-effectiveness analysis was performed, decision uncertainty characterized, and VOI calculated using Monte Carlo simulations. The benefits and costs of additional research were considered together with the costs and consequences of acting now versus waiting for more information. All values are reported in 2014 Australian dollars (AU$). Results: All interventions were cost-effective, but with various levels of decision uncertainty. The current evidence is sufficient to support the adoption of clinically indicated catheter replacement. For the tissue adhesive, an additional study before adoption is worthwhile with a four-arm trial of 220 patients per arm. Additional research on NPWT before adoption is worthwhile with a two-arm trial of 200 patients per arm. Nutritional support should be adopted with a two-arm trial of 1200 patients per arm. Based on the expected net monetary benefits, the studies were ranked as follows: 1) NPWT (AU$1.2 million), 2) tissue adhesive (AU$0.3 milliion), and 3) nutritional support (AU$0.1 million). Conclusions: VOI analysis is a useful and practical approach to inform adoption and research decisions. Efforts should be focused on facilitating its integration into decision making frameworks.

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Informing the research agenda for optimizing audit and feedback interventions: results of a prioritization exercise.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Informing the research agenda for optimizing audit and feedback interventions: results of a prioritization exercise.

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