Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Support through Mobile Messaging and digital health Technology for Diabetes (SuMMiT-D) project has developed, and is evaluating, a mobile phone-based intervention delivering brief messages targeting identified behaviour change techniques promoting medication use to people with type 2 diabetes in general practice. The present study aimed to inform refinement and future implementation of the SuMMiT-D intervention by investigating general practice staff perceptions of how a text message-based intervention to support medication adherence should be implemented within current and future diabetes care.
METHODS: Seven focus groups and five interviews were conducted with 46 general practice staff (including GPs, nurses, healthcare assistants, receptionists and linked pharmacists) with a potential role in the implementation of a text message-based intervention for people with type 2 diabetes. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.
RESULTS: Five themes were developed. One theme 'The potential of technology as a patient ally' described a need for diabetes support and the potential of technology to support medication use. Two themes outlined challenges to implementation, 'Limited resources and assigning responsibility' and 'Treating the patient; more than diabetes medication adherence'. The final two themes described recommendations to support implementation, 'Selling the intervention: what do general practice staff need to see?' and 'Fitting the mould; complementing current service delivery'.
CONCLUSIONS: Staff see the potential for a text message-based support intervention to address unmet needs and to enhance care for people with diabetes. Digital interventions, such as SuMMiT-D, need to be compatible with existing systems, demonstrate measurable benefits, be incentivised and be quick and easy for staff to engage with. Interventions also need to be perceived to address general practice priorities, such as taking a holistic approach to care and having multi-cultural reach and relevance. Findings from this study are being combined with parallel work with people with type 2 diabetes to ensure stakeholder views inform further refinement and implementation of the SuMMiT-D intervention.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 614 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | BMC Health Services Research |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 10 Jun 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 10 Jun 2023 |
Bibliographical note
AcknowledgementsThe authors would also like to acknowledge the support of the University of Oxford Primary Care Clinical Trials Research Unit, Northern Care Alliance NHS Group, National Institute for Health Research [NIHR] Greater Manchester and Thames Valley and South Midlands Clinical Research Networks, participating GP surgeries and community pharmacists and the wider “Support through Mobile Messaging and digital health Technology for Diabetes” (SuMMiT-D) team.
Funding
This publication presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research program (RP-PG-1214–20003). AF and RR receive support from the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR, or Department of Health and Social Care. The SuMMiT-D research team acknowledges the support of the NIHR Clinical Research Network.
Keywords
- Implementation science
- Text message-based intervention
- Primary care
- General Practice
- Medication Adherence
- Diabetes
Access to Document
- Butler_etal_BMCHSR_Implementing_A_Text_VoR
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