The WHO-HPH recognition project: fast-track implementation of clinical health promotion - a protocol for multi-center RCT

Abstract

Background Clinical health promotion comprises services delivered in health care to address daily smoking, risky alcohol use, overweight/obesity, malnutrition and physical inactivity. Clinical health promotion significantly improves treatment results and patient safety. Accordingly, it is a core component of overall quality in hospitals. To further implementation, the World health Organization and the International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services have developed standards and models based on quality management and accreditation/recognition strategies. However, these implementation strategies have only been sparsely investigated in randomised trials. The aim of the present study described in this protocol article is to evaluate the effect of a fast-track program for implementation on delivery of clinical health promotion services and the associated health gain of patients and staff.

Methods Clinical hospital departments are recruited through an open call. The departments are randomized to either fast-track implementation or to continue their usual implementation routines. The intervention group departments measures baseline, produce a quality plan on own results, implement for 1 year and then re-measure. The control group departments wait 1 year following allocation to perform just the baseline measurement.
The primary outcome is physical, mental and social health status of patients and staff. The secondary outcome is clinical health promotion service delivery to address patients’ needs thereof. The data will be analyzed as intention-to-treat.

Discussion Today, a total of 48 clinical departments from 11 countries/regions are included. This is the first study ever to evaluate the health effect of a fast-track implementation program for clinical health promotion.