Evaluation of the Dementia Care in Hospitals Program - study protocol.

Abstract

Background: The Dementia Care in Hospitals Program (DCHP) is an all-of-hospital education and culture change program to improve the awareness of and communication with patients with cognitive impairment (CI) in the acute sector. It was developed at Ballarat Health Services and has been introduced to 25 hospitals across Victoria. The program has now received Department of Social Services funding to rollout to four States with a detailed evaluation by Deakin University. Method: The evaluation is based on step-wedged methodology and will be implemented across four hospitals in Adelaide, Canberra, Perth and Hobart. The patient population is all acute admissions over the age of 65 years in a given time period. The primary outcome is the proportion of people aged 65 years and over with CI and one of four adverse events between the pre- and post-intervention periods. Sub-analysis will consider adjustment for each adverse event using a Generalised Linear Model. We will also evaluate the impact of the DCHP on patient quality of life, hospital length of stay and costs, carer satisfaction, staff knowledge and change in practice and other nursing modifiable hospital acquired adverse events. A cost-effectiveness analysis will also include the costs of implementing the program.