Effectiveness of a virtual quality improvement training program to improve reach of weight management programs within a large health system.

Objective: To test effectiveness of the LEAP (Learn Engage Act Process) Program on engaging frontline Veteran Health Administration (VHA) medical center teams in continuous quality improvement (QI), a core capability for learning health systems.

Data sources and study setting: Data sources included VHA electronic health record (EHR) data, surveys, and LEAP coaching field notes.

Study design: A staggered difference-in-differences study was conducted. Fifty-five facilities participated in LEAP across eight randomly assigned clusters of 6-8 facilities per cluster over 2 years. Non-participating facilities were used as controls. A MOVE! weight management program team completed a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle of change supported by learning curriculum, coaching, and virtual collaboratives in LEAP facilities. Primary outcome was program reach to Veterans. A mixed-effects model compared pre- versus post-LEAP periods for LEAP versus control facilities. LEAP adherence, satisfaction, and cost to deliver LEAP were evaluated.

Data collection/extraction methods: Thirty months of facility-level EHR MOVE! enrollment data were included in analyses. LEAP Satisfaction and QI skills were elicited via surveys at baseline and 6-month post-LEAP.

Principal findings: Fifty-five facilities were randomly assigned to eight time-period-based clusters to receive LEAP (71% completed LEAP) and 82 non-participating facilities were randomly assigned as controls. Reach in LEAP and control facilities was comparable in the 12-month pre-LEAP period (p = 0.07). Though LEAP facilities experienced slower decline in reach in the 12-month post-LEAP period compared with controls (p < 0.001), this is likely due to unexplained fluctuations in controls. For LEAP facilities, satisfaction was high (all mean ratings >4 on a 5-point scale), self-reported use of QI methods increased significantly (p-values <0.05) 6 months post-LEAP, and delivery cost was $4024 per facility-based team.

Conclusion: Control facilities experienced declining reach in the 12-month post-LEAP period, but LEAP facilities did not, plus they reported higher engagement in QI, an essential capability for learning health systems.