Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an Improvement Collaborative Strategy to Improve the Counter-referral System of Patients With Cardiovascular Disease in the Public Healthcare Sector in Argentina

Coordination between different levels of care has been identified as one of the main components of care among people with chronic diseases. In this sense, an adequate referral and counter-reference system facilitates the management of the care process with timely access to the required referral. The objective of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent strategy that improves the counter- referral process in patients with cardiovascular diseases in the public health system.

Population: The study will be carried out in selected hospitals of the provinces of Mendoza, Tucumán and Salta in Argentina. Patients who have been hospitalized with a diagnosis of heart failure, hypertension (requires hospitalization) and / or coronary disease (unstable angina) will be included.

Design and methods: a Randomized clinical study by clusters. 10 hospital will be included: 5 will be randomly assigned to receive an intervention to increase the improve counter referral rates (improvement cycles) and 5 to the control branch (usual care). 51 participants will be included in each hospital, in total, 510 participants.

Intervention: An innovative vision is proposed, which combines a participatory and dynamic methodology based on improvement cycles. This approach includes the implementation of participatory learning sessions for health providers, involving the effectors of the design of the intervention. In the intervention branch at least 6 workshops (sessions) will be held with the members of the care system, in order to identify opportunities for improvement oriented to the design and application of an innovative intervention based on best practices. Each one of the sessions will constitute an analysis of the improvement cycle, following the following steps: 1) Selection of participants of the initial workshop; 2) Development of work model based on bibliographic review and initial qualitative phase; 3) Initial workshop with effectors for training in continuous improvement, objectives, interventions and data collection; 4) Learning workshops to discuss results, applicability of interventions and modifications to the work plan; 5) Closing session to evaluate preliminary results and discuss continuity of interventions beyond the project.

Outcomes: 1) consultation in the PHC after hospital discharge; 2) readmission's; 3) consultations in the hospital; 4) follow-up in the PHC; 5) patient perspective (satisfaction).