A list of tools is not enough! Professionals’ advice on how to implement a core outcome set in practice

Abstract

Background: the number of Core Outcome Sets (COS) has increased in recent years and more methodological research has been published aiming to increase the credibility of COS. However little is yet known about strategies to facilitate COS implementation and promote adherence among professionals and researchers to use COS in practice.

Methods: qualitative interviews (n=29) were conducted in the pre-Delphi stage of the development of a COS to evaluate physical activity interventions for people living with dementia. Nine professionals were asked to comment on strategies to implement this COS, once it had been completed. Data generated from the comments were analysed thematically.

Results: participants included professionals from a wide range of backgrounds (public, private and voluntary sectors), and from different settings (hospitals, community, nursing and care homes). Their comments on COS implementation in practice can be organised into three themes: 1) “Needing a COS in practice” – participants explained how COS can help to meet the needs of professionals to measure patients’ physical activity interventions and bench mark their results against others and against published research; 2)“Making it work in practice” – participants stressed the need to include feasible measurement tools in COS (low cost and easy to use) but also the need for a “toolkit”, including not only the tools, but when and how to use them; and 3) “Broadcasting it widely” – by presenting at conferences, professionals’ meetings, and promoting COS among professional and governance bodies.

Conclusions: professionals recognise the need for COS in practice and would welcome a set of outcomes and tools presented as a “toolkit”. Wide dissemination activities are likely to be necessary to achieve the homogeneity of reporting outcomes aimed by COS developers.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Ana Carolina, Vieira Goncalves: orcid.org/0000-0003-4055-0894

ORCID for Dinesh Samuel: orcid.org/0000-0003-3610-8032

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