ArticleBMC health services research2018
Developing an implementation strategy for a digital health intervention: an example in routine healthcare.
Article in BMC health services research, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 82 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
82 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- A realist review of factors critical for the implementation of eHealth in chronic disease management.BMC health services research · 2025Pooled it
- Mapping the Landscape of Digital Health Intervention Strategies: 25-Year Synthesis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Pooled it
- A New Taxonomy for Technology-Enabled Diabetes Self-Management Interventions: Results of an Umbrella Review.Journal of diabetes science and technology · 2022Pooled it
- How to Best Develop and Deliver Generic Long-Term Condition Rehabilitation Programmes in Rural Settings: An Integrative Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2022Pooled it
- Black American and Latinx Parent/Caregiver Participation in Digital Health Obesity Interventions for Children: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in digital health · 2021Pooled it
- Identification of patients with potential palliative care needs: A systematic review of screening tools in primary care.Palliative medicine · 2020Pooled it
- Tele-ophthalmology-enabled and artificial intelligence-ready referral pathway for community optometry referrals of retinal disease: HERMES cluster randomised trial with a diagnostic accuracy study.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2025Trial
- An Evaluation of Clinician and Informatician Perspectives on Medication Harm Risk Prediction Tools for Use in a Tertiary Hospital Setting.Journal of evaluation in clinical practice · 2026Article
- Feasibility and Acceptability of mPallCareJMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Article
- Strategies to support implementation of infectious disease decision support systems: a scoping review.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2026Article
- Strategies to promote the dissemination of psychosocial digital health resources for those affected by cancer: scoping review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Ambulance professionals' perspectives on telemedicine: a qualitative study to inform user-centred implementation.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Barriers and facilitators for implementation of lifestyle related blended care interventions for overweight, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a scoping review.Implementation science communications · 2026Review
- Implementation strategies to promote e-Tracker use in the childhood immunization program in Rwanda - a mixed methods study.Frontiers in health services · 2026Article
- Digital Health for Australia: Bridging the Rural, Regional, and Remote Health Gap.Interactive journal of medical research · 2025Article
- Pinning Down the Accuracy Gap: Assessing Intervention Information About Dyslexia on Pinterest-Linked Web Pages.Canadian journal of school psychology · 2025Article
- Service Quality Assessment of Digital Health Solutions in Outpatient Care: Qualitative Item Repository Development Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Tailoring remote patient management to optimise cardiovascular risk management in primary care: a mixed-methods implementation study informing large-scale implementation.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- Implementing digital health to support self-care of chronic diseases.Nature medicine · 2025Article
- Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Prototype Hospital Digital Antibiotic Review Tracking Toolkit: A Qualitative Study Using the RE-AIM Framework.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
22 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundEvidence on how to implement new interventions into complex healthcare environments is often poorly reported and indexed, reducing its potential to inform initiatives to improve healthcare services. Using the implementation of a digital intervention within routine National Health Service (NHS) practice, we provide an example of how to develop a theoretically based implementation plan and how to report it transparently. In doing so we also highlight some of the challenges to implementation in routine healthcare.
methodsThe implemented intervention was HeLP-Diabetes, a digital self-management programme for people with Type 2 Diabetes, which was effective in improving diabetes control. The target setting for the implementation was an inner city London Clinical Commissioning Group in the NHS comprised of 34 general practices. HeLP-Diabetes was designed to be offered to patients as part of routine diabetes care across England. Evidence synthesis, engagement of local stakeholders, a theory of implementation (Normalization Process Theory), feedback, qualitative interviews and usage data were used to develop an implementation plan.
resultsA new implementation plan was developed to implement HeLP-Diabetes within routine practice. Individual component strategies were selected and developed informed by Normalization Process Theory. These strategies included: engagement of local opinion leaders, provision of educational materials, educational visits, educational meetings, audit and feedback and reminders. Additional strategies were introduced iteratively to address barriers that arose during the implementation. Barriers largely related to difficulties in allocating resources to implement the intervention within routine care.
conclusionThis paper provides a worked example of implementing a digital health intervention. The learning from this work can inform others undertaking the work of planning and executing implementation activities in routine healthcare. Of particular importance is: the selection of appropriate theory to guide the implementation process and selection of strategies; ensuring that enough attention is paid to planning implementation; and a flexible approach that allows response to emerging barriers.
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.