Randomized Trial to Test the "Coordinated Care for Health Promotion and Activities in Parkinson's Disease" Intervention in the VA

In a 5-year randomized controlled trial, we enrolled 345 Veterans with PD that were then randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive up to 24 months of a PD care management program, "Care Coordination for Health Promotion and Activities in Parkinson's Disease" (CHAPS), or continue with usual care. Eligible participants across 5 sites of the Southwest Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center (SW PADRECC): Greater Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Loma Linda, Long Beach and San Diego VISN 22 (VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network) facilities were identified through administrative data and vetted by physicians. The multi-faceted nurse-led intervention, CHAPS, incorporated PD quality improvement (QI) tools to enhance proactive Veteran-centered care delivery. PDQI tools included: (1) a structured telephone assessment administered by a nurse care manager (NCM) to proactively identify medical problems and unmet needs; (2) problem-specific evidence-based interventions organized into treatment plans including follow-up/monitoring protocols with VA and community linkages; (3) the Siebens Domain Management ModelTM, a structural approach to improve collection and organization of health information and enrich communication among providers; (4) Siebens Health Care Notebooks prepared with Veteran self-management materials; (5) a Microsoft Access care management database, containing the CHAPS Assessment and algorithms for problem identification based on Veteran data; and (6) decision-support meetings of NCMs with movement disorder specialists. Research interviewers administer a structured telephone survey at baseline, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Participants were provided $25 per survey. Medical records were abstracted.

Ongoing analyses (1) measure PD quality indicator adherence, health outcomes, and health service utilization; (2) evaluate qualitative and quantitative data to summarize the extent of intervention implementation and barriers and facilitators to potential dissemination; and (3) examine costs of CHAPS care and cost offset between randomization arms to provide new knowledge to aid in future dissemination of the CHAPS Program in a "National Rollout" according to the VA Quality Enhancement Research Initiative QUERI process.

Inclusion criteria

• Veteran of the United States of America
• Receiving health care at one of five Veterans Health Administration medical centers in the southwest United States: Greater Los Angeles, Loma Linda, Long Beach, or San Diego, California, or Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD)
• At least two ICD-9 diagnostic codes for PD (332.0) in the administrative data from October 1, 2010 - to present date or until recruitment target is met
• At least 18 years of age
• Must demonstrate capacity to provide consent for study participation.

Exclusion criteria

• Any Veteran who is a study subject in the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) VA cooperative study as these subjects are not to enroll in any other study per DBS study protocol.