Integrating addiction treatment into primary care using mobile health technology: protocol for an implementation research study.
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Date
2014-06-27
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Healthcare reform in the United States is encouraging Federally Qualified Health Centers and other primary care practices to integrate treatment for addiction and other behavioral health conditions into their practices The potential of mobile health technologies to manage addiction and comorbidities such as HIV in these settings is substantial but largely untested This paper describes a protocol to evaluate the implementation of an E Health integrated communication technology delivered via mobile phones called Seva into primary care settings Seva is an evidence based system of addiction treatment and recovery support for patients and real time caseload monitoring for clinicians METHODS DESIGN Our implementation strategy uses three models of organizational change the Program Planning Model to promote acceptance and sustainability the NIATx quality improvement model to create a welcoming environment for change and Rogers s diffusion of innovations research which facilitates adaptations of innovations to maximize their adoption potential We will implement Seva and conduct an intensive mixed methods assessment at three diverse Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers in the United States Our non concurrent multiple baseline design includes three periods pretest ending in four months of implementation preparation active Seva implementation and maintenance with implementation staggered at six month intervals across sites The first site will serve as a pilot clinic We will track the timing of intervention elements and assess study outcomes within each dimension of the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation and Maintenance framework including effects on clinicians patients and practices Our mixed methods approach will include quantitative e g interrupted time series analysis of treatment attendance with clinics as the unit of analysis and qualitative e g staff interviews regarding adaptations to implementation protocol methods and assessment of implementation costs DISCUSSION If implementation is successful the field will have a proven technology that helps Federally Qualified Health Centers and affiliated organizations provide addiction treatment and recovery support as well as a proven strategy for implementing the technology Seva also has the potential to improve core elements of addiction treatment such as referral and treatment processes A mobile technology for addiction treatment and accompanying implementation model could provide a cost effective means to improve the lives of patients with drug and alcohol problems TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials gov NCT01963234