Continuous quality improvement (CQI) in addiction treatment settings: design and intervention protocol of a group randomized pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have designed and tested the use of continuous quality improvement approaches in community based substance use treatment settings. Little is known about the feasibility, costs, efficacy, and sustainment of such approaches in these settings.


METHODS
A group-randomized trial using a modified stepped wedge design is being used. In the first phase of the study, eight programs, stratified by modality (residential, outpatient) are being randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition. In the second phase, the initially assigned control programs are receiving the intervention to gain additional information about feasibility while sustainment is being studied among the programs initially assigned to the intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
By using this design in a pilot study, we help inform the field about the feasibility, costs, efficacy and sustainment of the intervention. Determining information at the pilot stage about costs and sustainment provides value for designing future studies and implementation strategies with the goal to reduce the time between intervention development and translation to real world practice settings.
Drug Policy Research Center, RAND, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, USA. shunter@rand.org.
Sarah B
SB
Hunter
Allison J
AJ
Ober
Susan M
SM
Paddock
Priscillia E
PE
Hunt
Deborah
D
Levan
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002140:California; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000592:standards; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D012114:Residential Treatment / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000534:rehabilitation*