Rationale and development of a patient-tailored complex intervention of case management for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

ABSTRACT

This article describes the rationale, considerations, and choices made in developing a complex intervention evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of community-based case management for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients in a Danish setting. Inspired by the existing research methods for designing complex interventions, the intervention was developed using mixed methods entailing systematic review of available literature, interviews with key stakeholders, and discussions in a specialist-comprised project group. The rigorous process helped develop an intervention that properly accounted for both available evidence and context of the setting. We encourage researchers to provide a transparent reporting of the process behind intervention development.

KEYWORDS:

• Case management
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• cost-effectiveness analysis
• disease management
• health care utilization

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Kjeld Møller Pedersen, MSc (econ) for supervision and final revision of the manuscript for publication. The authors would also like to thank the municipal and regional health consultants, the regional chronic care coordinator, and the nurse case-managers, respiratory nurses and specialists involved in the conceptualization and development of the study for their expertise, guidance, and feedback throughout the process. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding

This research project was performed with the support from a major research grant, awarded by the Region of Northern Jutland, Denmark.

Supplemental data

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Additional information

Funding

This research project was performed with the support from a major research grant, awarded by the Region of Northern Jutland, Denmark.