Toward A Scalable, Patient-Centered Community Health Worker Model: Adapting the IMPaCT Intervention for Use in the Outpatient Setting

Scaling an Evidence-Based Community Health Worker Program With Fidelity: Results and Lessons Learned

Policy Points Effectively implemented community health worker (CHW) programs improve patient health outcomes and quality of care, reduce health care costs, and are a key strategy for addressing social and structural drivers of health. As policymakers consider funding mechanisms for CHW programs, it is crucial to tie funding to evidence-based best practices while also allowing for innovation and context-specific adaptations.

CONTEXT

Community health worker (CHW) programs represent a key strategy for addressing social and structural drivers of health and have the potential to improve patient health outcomes and enhance quality of care while reducing health care costs. However, challenges such as high staff turnover, lack of program infrastructure, and inadequate CHW support and supervision can hinder implementation and sustainment of effective CHW programs. Furthermore, few CHW programs have been successfully scaled across multiple organizations and communities. Individualized Management for Person-Centered Targets (IMPaCT) is an evidence-based CHW model designed to address these challenges by standardizing processes for CHW hiring, training, support, and supervision while still allowing for context-specific adaptation and tailoring. In this dissemination and implementation project, we evaluated implementation of IMPaCT across five geographically and structurally distinct sites serving diverse and varied patient populations.

METHODS

Model fidelity was assessed across seven best practice domains via structured virtual observations with CHWs, supervisors, and program directors at each implementation site. Acute care use was evaluated using difference-in-differences regression modeling for patients enrolled in IMPaCT compared with a propensity score-matched control group. All implementation sites examined total hospital days per patient, and several sites chose to incorporate additional measures of acute care use such as the number of hospitalizations and emergency department visits.

FINDINGS

We found that core program components were implemented consistently across sites, and three of five sites were able to both sustain implementation over a three-year period and demonstrate significant reductions in acute care use, consistent with previous randomized controlled trials of this program.

CONCLUSIONS

Health systems may be able to address social drivers of health and improve population health for patients who are low-income and patients of color by implementing evidence-based CHW programs with fidelity.

Addressing Health-Related Social Needs During COVID-19 Through a Hospital-Based, Community Health Worker Program: A Case Study

Background. Despite accounting for 34% of the population in Austin, Texas, Latinx individuals made up 50% of those who tested positive for coronavirus, 54% of COVID-related hospitalizations, and 51% of COVID-related deaths between March and June 2020. Of hospitalized Latinx patients, 40% had never seen a primary care provider and many had undiagnosed health conditions. A community health worker (CHW) pilot program was implemented based on these disparities. Method. This mixed-method implementation study describes a hospital-based, CHW program for Latinx patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at an academic medical center in Austin, Texas. The program included a social needs assessment, care coordination, and post-discharge follow-up. Patient data include demographics from the full sample (N = 57), social determinants of health (n = 24), and qualitative interviews (n = 6). Focus group data from health care professionals (n = 26) is also presented to describe the benefits of the CHW program. Results. Latinx patients in this study, two-thirds of who primarily spoke Spanish, reported high levels of satisfaction with the CHW program with fewer reported social needs after the CHW program. Health care providers underscored CHW expertise in addressing complex social needs, providing continuity of care within the hospital, and closing the loop through community resource navigation. Conclusion. This study demonstrated the capacity of CHWs to provide holistic care in hospital settings through trust building and increased capacity to address health-related social needs. Investment in hospital-based, CHW programs for vulnerable populations such as uninsured, Spanish-speaking patients is necessary to reduce health disparities beyond COVID-19.

Adaptation of complex interventions for people with long-term conditions: a scoping review

Adaptation seeks to transfer and implement healthcare interventions developed and evaluated in one context to another. The aim of this scoping review was to understand current approaches to the adaptation of complex interventions for people with long-term conditions (LTCs) and to identify issues for studies performed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Bibliographic databases were searched from 2000 to October 2022. This review involved five stages: (i) definition of the research question(s); (ii) identifying relevant studies; (iii) study selection; (iv) data charting; and (v) data synthesis. Extraction included an assessment of the: rationale for adaptation; stages and levels of adaptation; use of theoretical frameworks, and quality of reporting using a checklist based on the 2021 ADAPT guidance. Twenty-five studies were included from across 21 LTCs and a range of complex interventions. The majority (16 studies) focused on macro (national or international) level interventions. The rationale for adaptation included intervention transfer across geographical settings [high-income country (HIC) to LMIC: six studies, one HIC to another: eight studies, one LMIC to another: two studies], or transfer across socio-economic/racial groups (five studies), or transfer between different health settings within a single country (one study). Overall, studies were judged to be of moderate reporting quality (median score 23, maximum 46), and typically focused on early stages of adaptation (identification and development) with limited outcome evaluation or implementation assessment of the adapted version of the intervention. Improved reporting of the adaptation for complex interventions targeted at LTCs is needed. Development of future adaptation methods guidance needs to consider the needs and priorities of the LMIC context.

Training young adults as community health workers specializing in pediatric to adult health care transition to support emerging adults with sickle cell disease

Background

Transition to adulthood is a vulnerable time for emerging adults (16-25 years of age) with sickle cell disease (SCD), as there is a seven-fold increase in mortality rates during the transition period. Emerging adults with SCD also have the highest rates of hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and hospital readmissions compared to other age groups. Community health worker (CHW) programs have been developed to address outcomes such as patient activation which includes an individual's knowledge, skill, and confidence for managing one's health and healthcare, quality of life, and healthcare utilization for patients with chronic illnesses. However, few programs specifically target transition-age patients with SCD.

Methods

The aims of this study were to (1) create and adapt the existing Penn Center for Community Health Workers IMPaCT model trainings and materials to specifically support CHWs working with transition-age patients with SCD and (2) evaluate the feasibility of this adapted model to improve job readiness of the CHWs and perceived value of the CHWs by patients with SCD. A multidisciplinary workgroup defined specific goal-setting categories and developed a targeted CHW training curriculum. Additionally, the workgroup wrote a job manual including step-by-step guidelines with example talking points and defined an ongoing supervision of CHWs. Measures of implementation and impact on CHW job readiness included CHW training completion, job retention, knowledge evaluation, and patient reported CHW engagement.

Results

15 individuals completed CHW training with an average employment length of 1 year and 4 months. 7 (47%) CHWs had research experience, 8 (53%) had clinical experience, and 11 (73%) reported SCD experience. On post-training knowledge evaluations, CHWs successfully identified key aspects of SCD, role scope, and research ethics. Patients frequently reported that they reached their goals while working with trained CHWs.

Conclusion

This CHW training program provides a novel adaptation to the evidence-based IMPaCT CHW model to support the needs of youth with SCD during the vulnerable time of transition from pediatric-focused to adulthood-focused healthcare.

Differential Impact of a Plan-Led Standardized Complex Care Management Intervention on Subgroups of High-Cost High-Need Medicaid Patients

Interventions to better coordinate care for high-need high-cost (HNHC) Medicaid patients frequently fail to demonstrate changes in hospitalizations or emergency department (ED) use. Many of these interventions are modeled after practice-level complex care management (CCM) programs. The authors hypothesized that a national CCM program may be effective for some subgroups of HNHC patients, and the overall null effect may obfuscate subgroup-level impact. They used a previously published typology defining 6 subgroups of high-cost Medicaid patients and evaluated program impact by subgroup. The analysis used an individual-level interrupted time series with a comparison group. Intervention subjects were high-cost adult Medicaid patients who enrolled in 1 of 2 national CCM programs implemented by UnitedHealthcare (UHC) (n = 39,687). The comparators were patients who met CCM program criteria but were ineligible due to current enrollment in another UHC/Optum led program (N = 26,359). The intervention was a CCM program developed by UHC/Optum to provide "whole person care" delivering standardized interventions to address medical, behavioral, and social needs for HNHC Medicaid patients, and the outcome was probability of hospitalization or ED use in a given month, estimated at 12 months postenrollment. A reduction in risk of ED utilization for 4 of 6 subgroups was found. A reduction in risk of hospitalization for 1 of 6 subgroups was also found. The authors conclude that standardized health plan led CCM programs demonstrate effectiveness for certain subgroups of HNHC patients in Medicaid. This effectiveness is principally in reducing ED risk and may extend to the risk of hospitalization for a small number of patients.

Effect of social prescribing link workers on health outcomes and costs for adults in primary care and community settings: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To establish the evidence base for the effects on health outcomes and costs of social prescribing link workers (non-health or social care professionals who connect people to community resources) for people in community settings focusing on people experiencing multimorbidity and social deprivation.

DESIGN

Systematic review and narrative synthesis using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

DATA SOURCES

Cochrane Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, EU Clinical Trials Register, CINAHL, Embase, Global Health, PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycInfo, LILACS, Web of Science and grey literature were searched up to 31 July 2021. A forward citation search was completed on 9 June 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Controlled trials meeting the Cochrane Effectiveness of Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) guidance on eligible study designs assessing the effect of social prescribing link workers for adults in community settings on any outcomes. No language restrictions were applied.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two independent reviewers extracted data, evaluated study quality using the Cochrane EPOC risk of bias tool and judged certainty of the evidence. Results were synthesised narratively.

RESULTS

Eight studies (n=6500 participants), with five randomised controlled trials at low risk of bias and three controlled before-after studies at high risk of bias, were included. Four included participants experiencing multimorbidity and social deprivation. Four (n=2186) reported no impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Four (n=1924) reported mental health outcomes with three reporting no impact. Two US studies found improved ratings of high-quality care and reduced hospitalisations for people with multimorbidity experiencing deprivation. No cost-effectiveness analyses were identified. The certainty of the evidence was low or very low.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an absence of evidence for social prescribing link workers. Policymakers should note this and support evaluation of current programmes before mainstreaming.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019134737.

Mechanisms for Community Health Worker Action on Patient-, Institutional-, and Community-Level Barriers to Primary Care in a Safety-Net Setting

Medically and socially complex patients disproportionately face barriers to primary care, contributing to health inequities and higher health care costs. This study elicited perspectives on how community health workers (CHWs) act upon barriers to primary care in 5 patient (n = 25) and 3 CHW focus groups (n = 17). Participants described how CHWs acted on patient-level barriers through social support, empowerment, and linkages, and system-level barriers by enhancing care team awareness of patient circumstances, optimizing communication, and advocating for equitable treatment. Limitations existed for influencing entrenched community-level barriers. CHWs, focusing on patient preferences, motivators, and circumstances, intervened on multilevel barriers to primary care, including advocacy for equitable treatment. These mechanisms have implications for existing CHW conceptual models.

Online High School Community Health Worker Curriculum: Key Strategies of Transforming, Engagement, and Implementation

Background: Ample research evidence has demonstrated that Community Health Worker (CHW) programs are a cost-effective, culturally integrated, and impactful way to improve community health. Although most existing CHW programs recruit adults as CHWs, high school students, with their intellectual readiness and intimate community knowledge, also have great potential to be engaged as CHWs that impact community health. With this potential in mind, the High School Community Health Worker Curriculum (HSCHW), for face-to-face training, was created in 2016 at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) as an innovative solution to improve community health in underserved, urban neighborhoods. Sixteen Metro Atlanta high school students participated in the program's first cohort. The face-to-face HSCHW training program received very positive feedback from the students and community partners involved. Additionally, during the inaugural training, the program received more than 150 nationwide inquiries about an opportunity to either participate in the program or replicate its curriculum. Hence, in 2018, a corresponding online curriculum was created to meet these needs. The online HSCHW curriculum covers the roles and competencies described in the CHW Core Consensus (C3) Project and focuses on developing high school students' critical thinking, decision-making, and communication skills. As of February 2021, 346 high school community health workers have participated in this online curriculum.

Purpose: This paper reports on the research study of the critical processes and strategies of transforming, engaging, and implementing the online HSCHW curriculum.

Method: The project team conducted the research study to identify the key strategies to transform the face-to-face HSCHW curriculum, the engagement strategies embedded in the online curriculum's content development, and, ultimately, the curriculum's outcomes. Altogether, this mixed-method study analyzed and reported on the learning outcomes of 265 students', in tandem with 17 high school students' focused-group interviews and responses to online surveys.

Results: The results showed that integrating instructional design processes is critical for the online curriculum's success. “Interestingness,” the latent concept embedded in the online HSCHW curriculum, engages high school students in learning about complex CHW skills, through digital content and activities. Furthermore, the successful implementation of the program and its student learning outcomes was assured by integrating the online curriculum with local schools and community resources, training the local community and school “trainers” to facilitate the curriculum online, and providing ongoing coaching support from the program team.

Impacts: This paper provides a research report on the key strategies and processes of creating and implementing an online CHW curriculum for high school students. Its findings will inform future endeavors to develop an online CHW curriculum for lifelong learners and increase training effectiveness. The online HSCHW curriculum increases the national capacity of community health workers, whose work will increase community engagement and health equity. The curriculum also empowers high school students to acquire health knowledge that can bridge the educational gap between health knowledge acquisition and health knowledge application. Additionally, the online HSCHW curriculum presents a concrete example of leveraging digital platforms to teach complex public health competencies to young adults who can positively impact community health.

Evidence-Based Community Health Worker Program Addresses Unmet Social Needs And Generates Positive Return On Investment

Interventions that address socioeconomic determinants of health are receiving considerable attention from policy makers and health care executives. The interest is fueled in part by expected returns on investment. However, many current estimates of returns on investment are likely overestimated, because they are based on pre-post study designs that are susceptible to regression to the mean. We present a return-on-investment analysis that is based on a randomized controlled trial of Individualized Management for Patient-Centered Targets (IMPaCT), a standardized community health worker intervention that addresses unmet social needs for disadvantaged people. We found that every dollar invested in the intervention would return $2.47 to an average Medicaid payer within the fiscal year.

Instructive roles and supportive relationships: client perspectives of their engagement with community health workers in a rural south African home visiting program

Background

Community health worker (CHW) programs have been positioned as a way to meet the needs of those who experience marginalization and inequitable access to health care, and current global health narratives also emphasize their adaptable nature to meet growing health burdens in low-income settings. However, as CHW programs adopt more technical roles, the value of CHWs in building relationships with clients tends to be overlooked. More importantly, these programs are often reframed and redeployed without attending to the interests and needs of program clients themselves. We set out to gather perspectives of program and CHW engagement from clients of a maternal and child health program in rural South Africa.

Methods

We conducted 26 interviews with pregnant or recently-delivered clients of the Enable Mentor Mother program between February–March 2018. After obtaining informed consent, a trained research assistant conducted all interviews in the clients’ home language, isiXhosa. Interviews, translated and transcribed into English, were organized and coded using ATLAS.ti software and thematically analyzed.

Results

We found that clients’ home-based interactions with Mentor Mothers were generally positive, and that these engagements were characterized by two core themes, instructive roles and supportive relationships.. Instructive roles facilitated the transfer of knowledge and uptake of new information for behavior change. Relationships were developed within the home visit setting, but also extended beyond routine visits, especially when clients required further instrumental support. Clients further discussed a sense of agency gained through these interactions, even in cases where they chose not to, or were unable to, heed their Mentor Mother’s advice.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the important roles that CHWs can assume in providing both instructive and supportive care to clients; as deepening relationships may be key for encouraging behavior change, these findings pinpoint the need to bolster training and support for CHWs in similar programs. They also emphasize the importance of integrating more channels for client feedback into existing programs, to ensure that clients’ voices are heard and accounted for in shaping ongoing engagement within the communities in which these programs operate.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12939-020-01377-z.

Community health workers: improving population health through integration into healthcare systems

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to describe the role, responsibilities, hiring, training, and retention of community health workers (CHWs) on clinical care teams in the United States.

RECENT FINDINGS

CHWs are unique members of clinical care teams because of their ability to foster a deep trust and understanding with patients by sharing similar life experiences, participating in home visits, and providing constant support and advocacy. By partnering with CHWs, other clinical care members also gain a better understanding of their patients allowing them to deliver more culturally competent, patient/family-centered care. CHWs when incorporated into interdisciplinary teams have shown to lower healthcare costs, reduce hospital stays and admissions, and improve health outcomes and quality of life for children and families. However, the lack of standardization among CHW programs makes it difficult to quantify the overall effect and impact of integrating CHWs into clinical care teams.

SUMMARY

CHWs are able to improve health outcomes and address social determinants of health when properly integrated into clinical care teams. However, without adequate support, integration, funding, and training, CHWs are not able to reach their full potential. The standardization of CHWs' responsibilities and training, like other clinical care team members, is lacking within the United States, making it a challenge to evaluate programs and maintain sustainable funding for these vital members of the clinical care team.

Multimorbidity and consultation time: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity (MM) is one of the major challenges health systems currently face. Management of time length of a medical consultation with a patient with MM is a matter of concern for doctors.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed to describe the impact of MM on the average time of a medical consultation considering the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The systematic online searches of the Embase and PubMed databases were undertaken, from January 2000 to August 2018. The studies were independently screened by two reviewers to decide which ones met the inclusion criteria. (Kappa = 0.84 and Kappa = 0.82). Differing opinions were solved by a third person. This systematic review included people with MM criteria as participants (two or more chronic conditions in the same individual). The type of outcome included was explicitly defined - the length of medical appointments with patients with MM. Any strategies aiming to analyse the impact of MM on the average consultation time were considered. The length of time of medical appointment for patients without MM was the comparator criteria. Experimental and observational studies were included.

RESULTS

Of 85 articles identified, only 1 observational study was included, showing a clear trend for patients with MM to have longer consultations than patients without MM criteria (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

More studies are required to better assess allocation length-time for patients with MM and to measure other characteristics like doctors' workload.

Economics of Community Health Workers for Chronic Disease: Findings From Community Guide Systematic Reviews

CONTEXT

Cardiovascular disease in the U.S. accounted for healthcare cost and productivity losses of $330 billion in 2013-2014 and diabetes accounted for $327 billion in 2017. The impact is disproportionate on minority and low-SES populations. This paper examines the available evidence on cost, economic benefit, and cost effectiveness of interventions that engage community health workers to prevent cardiovascular disease, prevent type 2 diabetes, and manage type 2 diabetes.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Literature from the inception of databases through July 2016 was searched for studies with economic information, yielding nine studies in cardiovascular disease prevention, seven studies in type 2 diabetes prevention, and 13 studies in type 2 diabetes management. Analyses were done in 2017. Monetary values are reported in 2016 U.S. dollars.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

The median intervention cost per patient per year was $329 for cardiovascular disease prevention, $600 for type 2 diabetes prevention, and $571 for type 2 diabetes management. The median change in healthcare cost per patient per year was -$82 for cardiovascular disease prevention and -$72 for type 2 diabetes management. For type 2 diabetes prevention, one study saw no change and another reported -$1,242 for healthcare cost. One study reported a favorable 1.8 return on investment from engaging community health workers for cardiovascular disease prevention. Median cost per quality-adjusted life year gained was $17,670 for cardiovascular disease prevention, $17,138 (mean) for type 2 diabetes prevention, and $35,837 for type 2 diabetes management.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions engaging community health workers are cost effective for cardiovascular disease prevention and type 2 diabetes management, based on a conservative $50,000 benchmark for cost per quality-adjusted life year gained. Two cost per quality-adjusted life year estimates for type 2 diabetes prevention were far below the $50,000 benchmark.

Effect of Community Health Worker Support on Clinical Outcomes of Low-Income Patients Across Primary Care Facilities: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Addressing the social determinants of health has been difficult for health systems to operationalize.

OBJECTIVE

To assess a standardized intervention, Individualized Management for Patient-Centered Targets (IMPaCT), delivered by community health workers (CHWs) across 3 health systems.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This 2-armed, single-blind, multicenter randomized clinical trial recruited patients from 3 primary care facilities in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between January 28, 2015, and March 28, 2016. Patients who resided in a high-poverty zip code, were uninsured or publicly insured, and who had a diagnosis for 2 or more chronic diseases were recruited, and patients were randomized to either the CHW intervention or the control arm (goal setting only). Follow-up assessments were conducted at 6 and 9 months after enrollment. Data were analyzed using an intention-to-treat approach from June 2017 to March 2018.

INTERVENTION

Participants set a chronic disease management goal with their primary care physician; those randomized to the CHW intervention received 6 months of tailored support.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was change in self-rated physical health. The secondary outcomes were self-rated mental health, chronic disease control, patient activation, patient-reported quality of primary care, and all-cause hospitalization.

RESULTS

Of the 592 participants, 370 (62.5%) were female, with a mean (SD) age of 52.6 (11.1) years. Participants in both arms had similar improvements in self-rated physical health (mean [SD], 1.8 [11.2] vs 1.6 [9.9]; P = .89). Patients in the intervention group were more likely to report the highest quality of care (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% CI, 1.4-2.4; risk difference [RD], 0.12; P < .001) and spent fewer total days in the hospital at 6 months (155 days vs 345 days; absolute event rate reduction, 69%) and 9 months (300 days vs 471 days; absolute event rate reduction, 65%). This reduction was driven by a shorter average length of stay (difference, -3.1 days; 95% CI, -6.33 to 0.22; P = .06) and a lower mean number of hospitalizations (difference, -0.3; 95% CI, -0.6 to 0.0; P = .07) among patients who were hospitalized. Patients in the intervention group had a lower odds of repeat hospitalizations (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9; RD, -0.24; P = .02), including 30-day readmissions (OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.1-0.9; RD, -0.17; P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

A standardized intervention did not improve self-rated health but did improve the patient-perceived quality of care while reducing hospitalizations, suggesting that health systems may use a standardized intervention to address the social determinants of health.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02347787.

Community Health Worker Support for Disadvantaged Patients With Multiple Chronic Diseases: A Randomized Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether a community health worker (CHW) intervention improved outcomes in a low-income population with multiple chronic conditions.

METHODS

We conducted a single-blind, randomized clinical trial in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2013-2014). Participants (n = 302) were high-poverty neighborhood residents, uninsured or publicly insured, and diagnosed with 2 or more chronic diseases (diabetes, obesity, tobacco dependence, hypertension). All patients set a disease-management goal. Patients randomly assigned to CHWs also received 6 months of support tailored to their goals and preferences.

RESULTS

Support from CHWs (vs goal-setting alone) led to improvements in several chronic diseases (changes in glycosylated hemoglobin: -0.4 vs 0.0; body mass index: -0.3 vs -0.1; cigarettes per day: -5.5 vs -1.3; systolic blood pressure: -1.8 vs -11.2; overall P = .08), self-rated mental health (12-item Short Form survey; 2.3 vs -0.2; P = .008), and quality of care (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems; 62.9% vs 38%; P < .001), while reducing hospitalization at 1 year by 28% (P = .11). There were no differences in patient activation or self-rated physical health.

CONCLUSIONS

A standardized CHW intervention improved chronic disease control, mental health, quality of care, and hospitalizations and could be a useful population health management tool for health care systems.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01900470.

Preparing Home Health Aides to Serve as Health Coaches for Home Care Patients With Chronic Illness: Findings and Lessons Learned From a Mixed-Method Evaluation of Two Pilot Programs

This article highlights findings from a mixed-method evaluation of two pilot programs that utilized Home Health Aides (HHAs) as health coaches for home care patients with chronic illness, including (1) a dedicated health coaching program for patients with heart failure and (2) an integrated program for HHAs working with chronically ill patients. Interviews were conducted with HHAs and staff to understand their experiences implementing program activities. Data from clinical assessments and surveys were employed to examine the characteristics and outcomes of patients. HHAs viewed health coaching positively and described it as an informative process that is dependent on patient motivation and willingness to change. Patients in both programs reported improvement in self-care maintenance. Patients in the chronic illness program also reported improved quality-of-life.

Decision-making and goal-setting in chronic disease management: Baseline findings of a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Growing interest in collaborative goal-setting has raised questions. First, are patients making the 'right choices' from a biomedical perspective? Second, are patients and providers setting goals of appropriate difficulty? Finally, what types of support will patients need to accomplish their goals? We analyzed goals and action plans from a trial of collaborative goal-setting among 302 residents of a high-poverty urban region who had multiple chronic conditions.

METHODS

Patients used a low-literacy aid to prioritize one of their chronic conditions and then set a goal for that condition with their primary care provider. Patients created patient-driven action plans for reaching these goals.

RESULTS

Patients chose to focus on conditions that were in poor control and set ambitious chronic disease management goals. The mean goal weight loss -16.8lbs (SD 19.5), goal HbA1C reduction was -1.3% (SD 1.7%) and goal blood pressure reduction was -9.8mmHg (SD 19.2mmHg). Patient-driven action plans spanned domains including health behavior (58.9%) and psychosocial (23.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

High-risk, low-SES patients identified high priority conditions, set ambitious goals and generate individualized action plans for chronic disease management.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Practices may require flexible personnel who can support patients using a blend of coaching, social support and navigation.

A randomized controlled trial of a community health worker intervention in a population of patients with multiple chronic diseases: Study design and protocol

Upstream interventions - e.g. housing programs and community health worker interventions- address socioeconomic and behavioral factors that influence health outcomes across diseases. Studying these types of interventions in clinical trials raises a methodological challenge: how should researchers measure the effect of an upstream intervention in a sample of patients with different diseases? This paper addresses this question using an illustrative protocol of a randomized controlled trial of collaborative-goal setting versus goal-setting plus community health worker support among patients multiple chronic diseases: diabetes, obesity, hypertension and tobacco dependence. At study enrollment, patients met with their primary care providers to select one of their chronic diseases to focus on during the study, and to collaboratively set a goal for that disease. Patients randomly assigned to a community health worker also received six months of support to address socioeconomic and behavioral barriers to chronic disease control. The primary hypothesis was that there would be differences in patients' selected chronic disease control as measured by HbA1c, body mass index, systolic blood pressure and cigarettes per day, between the goal-setting alone and community health worker support arms. To test this hypothesis, we will conduct a stratum specific multivariate analysis of variance which allows all patients (regardless of their selected chronic disease) to be included in a single model for the primary outcome. Population health researchers can use this approach to measure clinical outcomes across diseases.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01900470.

Penn Center for Community Health Workers: Step-by-Step Approach to Sustain an Evidence-Based Community Health Worker Intervention at an Academic Medical Center

Community-engaged researchers who work with low-income communities can be reliant on grant funding. We use the illustrative case of the Penn Center for Community Health Workers (PCCHW) to describe a step-by-step framework for achieving financial sustainability for community-engaged research interventions. PCCHW began as a small grant-funded research project but followed an 8-step framework to engage both low-income patients and funders, determine outcomes, and calculate return on investment. PCCHW is now fully funded by Penn Medicine and delivers the Individualized Management for Patient-Centered Targets (IMPaCT) community health worker intervention to 2000 patients annually.