Search

BackgroundClinical pathways (CPs) can improve patient outcomes but can be complex to implement. Technologies, such as clinical decision support (CDS) tools, can facilitate their use, but require end-user testing in clinical settings. ObjectiveThis study applied the Technology Acceptance Model to evaluate the individual, organizational, and technological contexts impacting application of a portal to facilitate a CP for anxiety and depression (the ADAPT Portal) in a metropolitan cancer service. The ADAPT Portal triggers patient screening on patient reported outcomes, alerts staff to high scores, recommends evidence-based management, and triggers review and rescreening at set intervals. MethodsQuantitative and qualitative data on portal activity, data accuracy, and health service staff perspectives were collected. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data. ResultsOverall, 15 (100% of those invited) health service staff agreed to be interviewed. During the pilot, 73 users (36 health service staff members and 37 patients) were registered on the ADAPT Portal. Of the 37 patients registered, 16 (43%) completed screening at least once, with seven screening positive and triaged appropriately. In total, 34 support requests were lodged, resulting in 17 portal enhancements (technical issues). Health service staff considered the ADAPT Portal easy to use and useful; however, some deemed it unnecessary or burdensome (individual issues), particularly in a busy cancer service (organizational issues). ConclusionsUser testing of a CDS to facilitate screening and assessment of anxiety and depression in cancer patients highlighted some technological issues in implementing the ADAPT CDS, resulting in 17 enhancements. Our results highlight the importance of obtaining health service staff feedback when piloting specialized CDS tools and addressing contextual factors when implementing them.

Background: Effective translation of evidence-based research into clinical practice requires assessment of the many factors that can impact implementation success. Research methods that draw on recognised implementation frameworks, such as the Promoting Action Research in Health Services (PARiHS) framework, and that test feasibility to gain information prior to full-scale roll-out, can support a more structured approach to implementation. Objective: This paper presents qualitative findings from a feasibility study in one cancer service of an online portal to operationalise a clinical pathway for the screening, assessment and management of anxiety and depression in adult cancer patients. The aim of this study was to explore staff perspectives on the feasibility and acceptance of a range of strategies to support implementation in order to inform the full-scale roll-out. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen hospital staff holding a range of clinical, administrative and managerial roles, and with differing levels of exposure to the pathway. Qualitative data were analysed thematically, and themes were subsequently organised within the constructs of the PARiHS framework. Results: Barriers and facilitators that affected the feasibility of the online portal and implementation strategies were organised across eight key themes: staff perceptions, culture, external influences, attitudes to psychosocial care, intervention fit, familiarity, burden and engagement. These themes mapped to the PARiHS framework's three domains of evidence, context and facilitation. Conclusions: Implementation success may be threatened by a range of factors related to the real-world context, perceptions of the intervention (evidence) and the process by which it is introduced (facilitation). Feasibility testing of implementation strategies can provide unique insights into issues likely to influence full-scale implementation, allowing for early tailoring and more effective facilitation which may save time, money and effort in the long-term. Use of a determinant implementation framework can assist researchers to synthesise and effectively respond to barriers as they arise. While the current feasibility study related to a specific implementation, strategies such as regular engagement with local stakeholders, and discussion of barriers arising in real-time during early testing is likely to be of benefit to all researchers and clinicians seeking to maximise the likelihood of long-term implementation success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]