title: RECODE: design and baseline results of a cluster randomized trial on cost-effectiveness of integrated COPD management in primary care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Favorable effects of formal pulmonary rehabilitation in selected moderate to severe COPD patients are well established. Few data are available on the effects and costs of integrated disease management (IDM) programs on quality of care and health status of COPD patients in primary care, representing a much larger group of COPD patients. Therefore, the RECODE trial assesses the long-term clinical and cost-effectiveness of IDM in primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  RECODE is a cluster randomized trial with two years of follow-up, during which 40 clusters of primary care teams (including 1086 COPD patients) are randomized to IDM or usual care. The intervention started with a 2-day multidisciplinary course in which healthcare providers are trained as a team in essential components of effective COPD IDM in primary care. During the course, the team redesigns the care process and defines responsibilities of different caregivers. They are trained in how to use feedback on process and outcome data to guide implement guideline-driven integrated healthcare. Practice-tailored feedback reports are provided at baseline, and at 6 and 12 months. The team learns the details of an ICT program that supports recording of process and outcome measures. Afterwards, the team designs a time-contingent individual practice plan, agreeing on steps to be taken in order to integrate a COPD IDM program into daily practice. After 6 and 12 months, there is a refresher course for all teams simultaneously to enable them to learn from each other's experience. Health status of patients at 12 months is the primary outcome, measured by the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ). Secondary outcomes include effects on quality of care, disease-specific and generic health-related quality of life, COPD exacerbations, dyspnea, costs of healthcare utilization, and productivity loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article presents the protocol and baseline results of the RECODE trial. This study will allow to evaluate whether IDM implemented in primary care can positively influence quality of life and quality of care in mild to moderate COPD patients, thereby making the benefits of multidisciplinary rehabilitation applicable to a substantial part of the COPD population.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR2268.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. a.l.kruis@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Annemarije L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kruis
authors.forename: Melinde R S
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Boland
authors.forename: Catharina H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Schoonvelde
authors.forename: Willem J J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Assendelft
authors.forename: Maureen P M H
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rutten-van Mölken
authors.forename: Jacobijn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gussekloo
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsiachristas
authors.forename: Niels H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Chavannes
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires