Table 1.
Overview of types of quality improvement collaborative and methods in included randomised controlled studies
| Study, reference (year) | Intervention | Methods | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topic, disease, or condition | Type of collaborative; length (months) of intervention | Study design (control condition) | Unit of analysis (project sample size); study sample size | Method; No of patients | Methodological quality (status) | ||
| 1, Pierce-Bulger et alw72 (2001) | Infant mortality in community | Breakthrough Series embedded in longitudinal quality activities (clinic and home visiting services); 12 | Interrupted time series (no) | Medical centre (NS); 1 (intervention) | Chart review; NS | Protection from secular changes (not done); data analysed appropriately (NS); reason for points before and after design (NS); shape of intervention effect (NS); protection against bias (NS); blinded assessment (NS); completeness of dataset (NS) | |
| 2, Baier et alw61 (2004) | Pain | Based on Breakthrough Series; 15 | Controlled before and after study (no) | Nursing homes (21); 15 (intervention), 72 (control) | Minimal dataset www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/mds20; 276 (intervention) | Baseline measurement (no differences); characteristics of control sites (differences); blinded assessment (NS); contamination (unlikely); follow-up sites or teams, 71% intervention, 92% control | |
| 3, Benedetti et alw62 (2004) | Diabetes in primary care | Breakthrough Series, chronic care model; 12-36 | Controlled before and after study (no) | Providers (NS); 11 (intervention), 19 (control) | Method unclear | Baseline measurement (not reported); characteristics of control sites (no data, but seemed similar); blinded assessment (NS); contamination (possible); follow-up of sites or teams (NS) | |
| 4, Landon et alw63 (2004) | HIV | Breakthrough Series; 16 | Controlled before and after study (no) | Clinics (62); 44 (intervention), 25 (control) | Review of medical records: 6406 (intervention), 3580 (control) | Baseline measurement (no differences); characteristics of control sites (similar); blinded assessment (NS); contamination (unlikely); follow-up of sites or teams (NS) | |
| 5, Homer et alw64 (2005) | Asthma: children | Breakthrough Series, chronic care model; 12 | Randomised controlled trial (no) | Primary care practice (22); 22 (intervention), 21 (control) | Telephone interview: 530 (intervention), 591 (control) | Unit of allocation (by practice); randomisation (no process); follow-up of sites (100%); blinded assessment (NS); baseline measurement (no differences); contamination (possible) | |
| 6, Mangione-Smith et alw65 (2005) | Asthma: children | Breakthrough Series, chronic care model; 12 | Controlled before and after study (no) | Primary care practice (26); 9 (intervention), 4 (control) | Review of medical records: 348 (intervention), 153 (control); telephone survey (after study): 385 (intervention), 126 (control) | Baseline measurement (possibly different); characteristics of control sites (limited data); blinded assessment (NS); contamination (possible); follow-up of sites or teams (100%): | |
| 6, Schonlau et alw66 (2005) | Asthma: adults | Breakthrough Series, chronic care model; 12 | Controlled before and after study (no) | Primary care practice (26); 6 (intervention), 3 (control) | Review of medical records, 109 (intervention), 76 (control); telephone survey (after study): 123 (intervention), 62 (control) | Baseline measurement (possibly different); characteristics of control sites (limited data); blinded assessment (done); contamination (unlikely); follow-up of sites or teams (100%) |
|
| 7, Asch et alw67 (2005) | Chronic heart failure | Breakthrough Series, chronic care model; 12 | Controlled before and after study (no) | Clinics (14); 4 (intervention), 4 (control): | Review of medical records: 261 (intervention), 228 (control); survey (after study): 301 (intervention+control): | Baseline measurement (22 of 25 measures similar); characteristics of control sites (limited data); blinded assessment (done); contamination (unlikely); follow-up of sites or teams (100%) | |
| 7, Baker et alw68 (2005) | Chronic heart failure | Breakthrough Series, chronic care model; 12 | Controlled cross sectional study (no) | Clinics (13); 6 (intervention), 6 (control) | Telephone survey (after study): 367 (intervention), 414 (control) | Baseline measurement (NA); characteristics of control sites (limited data); blinded assessment (NA); contamination (NA); follow-up of sites or teams (NA) | |
| 8, Horbar et alw69 (2001) | Preterm infants: infection or chronic lung disease | Vermont Oxford Network; 36 | Controlled before and after study (feedback in routine reports) | Neonatal intensive care units (10); 10 (intervention), 66 (control) | Database: 3801 (intervention), 21 509 (control) | Baseline measurement (possibly different); characteristics of control sites (limited data); blinded assessment (NS); contamination (unlikely); follow-up of sites or teams (100%) | |
| 8, Rogowski et alw70 (2001) | Preterm infants: infection or chronic lung disease | Vermont Oxford Network; 36 | Controlled before and after study (feedback in routine reports) | Neonatal intensive care units (10); 10 (intervention), 9 (control) | Database on infection: 2993 (intervention), 2203 (control); database on chronic lung disorder 663 (intervention), 1007 (control) | Baseline measurement (possibly different); characteristics of control sites (limited data); blinded assessment (NS); contamination (unlikely); follow-up of sites or teams (100%) | |
| 9, Horbar et alw71 (2004) | Preterm infants: surfactant treatment | Vermont Oxford Network; NS | Randomised controlled trial (feedback in routine reports) | Neonatal intensive care units (57); 57 (intervention), 57 (control) | Database: 6645 (intervention), 5576 (control) | Unit of allocation (by hospital); randomisation (computer generated); follow-up of sites (100%); blinded assessment (NS); baseline measurement (no differences); contamination (unlikely) | |
NS=not specified; NA=not applicable.