JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Given the increasing use of digital interventions in healthcare, understanding how best to implement them is crucial. However, evidence on how to implement new, academically-developed interventions into complex healthcare environments is lacking. This case study offers an example of how to develop a theory-based implementation plan for Partner in Balance, an eHealth intervention to support caregivers of people with dementia.

Objective:

The objectives of this study are to (i) formulate evidence-based implementation strategies, (ii) develop a sustainable business model, and (iii) integrate these elements into an implementation plan.

Methods:

The case study concerns Partner in Balance, a blended care intervention to support caregivers of people with dementia, which is effective in improving caregiver self-efficacy, quality of life and experienced control. The large-scale implementation of Partner in Balance took place in local dementia case-management services, local care homes, dementia support groups and municipalities. Experiences from real-life pilots and qualitative interviews with national stakeholders (n=14) were used to establish an implementation plan, consisting of implementation strategies and a business model.

Results:

A main finding was the need for a business model to facilitate decision-making from potential client organizations, who need reliable pricing information before they can commit to training coaches and implementing the intervention. Also, knowledge of the organizational context and wider health care system is essential to ensure that the intervention meets the needs of its target users. Based on these findings, the research team formulated implementation strategies to better engage organizations and staff, disseminate and scale-up the intervention, and facilitate long-term project management in the future.

Conclusions:

This study offers a theory-based example of implementing an evidence-based eHealth intervention in dementia health care. The findings help fill the knowledge gap on the eHealth implementation context for evidence-based eHealth interventions after the trial phase, and they can be used to inform others working to develop and sustainably implement eHealth.