Adapting and testing a deimplementation program in the Intensive Care Unit - PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT
The goal of the K-award is to position the candidate on the pathway to independent research study. Although
the applicant has some training in dissemination and implementation science, which provided preliminary data
for her current proposal, the applicant needs to acquire higher level implementation methodology training to
propel her towards career independence. The applicant’s goal is to optimize care for critically ill patients through
implementation and deimplementation approaches that achieve systematic absorption of evidence-based
innovations. There are several areas of critical care medicine in need of implementation principles to close the
evidence-to-practice gap that exist. For example, there are millions of critically ill patients annually who require
imaging confirmation after central venous catheter insertion. Emerging literature demonstrates that ultrasound
is a faster alternative to historical chest xray, thus serving as the ideal confirmation for catheter use. When able
to confirm catheter position, ultrasound decreases the number of unnecessary chest radiographs, cumulative
resources (technologist, radiologist, equipment), and patient care delays. However, providers are not adopting
this practice. During the candidates previous 2-year K award, she developed and initiated a successful evidence-
based deimplementation program for ultrasound in lieu of chest xray called DRAUP in the Emergency
Department. We hypothesize that this deimplementation program, developed from a theory-driven model and
guided by the Behavioral Change Wheel framework addresses the foundational constructs of behavior thus
should be successful in any environment. In this K01 proposal, the applicant seeks to demonstrate the
generalizability of the theory-driven constructs of DRAUP by refining, testing, and determining the mechanism
of impact in a new environment. Thus, the applicant proposes a research agenda that aligns with the NHLBI’s
strategic vision objection #6 for studies that “optimize clinical and implementation research to improve health
and reduce disease.” In Aim 1, the applicant will employ a systematic approach to DRAUP component refinement
dosed to the unique context of the Intensive Care Unit. In Aim 2, the applicant seeks to examine effectiveness
outcomes and importantly for de-implementation – cost effectiveness of the program. In Aim 3, the applicant
seeks to use mixed methods to evaluate the mechanism of impact of the refined program in the new environment.
These aims support the applicant’s training plan in which she will receive expert mentorship and training in
Intervention Mapping (Training Goal 1); cost effectiveness analysis (Training Goal 2); and mix methods for
mechanistic exploration (Training Goal 3) from Drs. Elvin Geng, Richard Griffey, Aimee James, and Derek
Brown. Expertise of the mentorship team, along with the academic and training environment of Washington
University, will ensure the applicant’s success. Results of this study will be used to support the scientific premise
of the deimplementation program, which can be tested in a subsequent multicenter larger trial and transferrable
to other critical care medicine evidence-to-practice gaps.