A meta-review of evidence on heart failure disease management programs: the challenges of describing and synthesizing evidence on complex interventions

Table 4 Definitions of trials and characteristics of interventions actually included

Definitions of interventions included in reviews
No definition	1/15	[33]
Operationalized definition	11/15	[23–27, 30–32, 34, 36, 37]
Definitions incorporate approach, personnel, setting and content	3/15	[23, 26, 27]
Concept of a disease management program	5/15	[26, 28, 30, 31, 36]
Concept of comprehensive treatment approach	6/15	[23, 24, 27, 29, 34, 37]
Interventions provided in particular settings	4/15	[23, 25–27]
Intervention Settings
Five settings/modes of provision	2/15	[29, 34]
Four settings	7/15	[27, 30, 31, 33, 35–37]
Three settings	4/15	[24, 26, 28, 32]
Single or comparable setting	2/15	[23, 25]
Type of setting
All settings	2/15	[29, 34]
Hospital (Pre-discharge)	10/15	[23, 27–29, 31, 33–37]
Hospital and home-based components	9/15	[27–29, 31, 33–37]
Home and community	9/15	[27–29, 31, 33–37]
At home	13/15	[24, 26–37]
Out-patient	13/15	[24, 26–37]
Telephone	11/15	[24, 25, 27, 29–35, 37]
Remote provision	5/15	[25, 29, 30, 34, 36]
Professionals
Nurse-led	11/15	[23, 24, 26, 28–32, 34, 36, 37]
'Multi-disciplinary teams'	10/15	[23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32–35, 37]
Physician involvement via cardiologist or GP	9/15	[26, 28–32, 35–37]
Both cardiologist and GP	3/15	[26, 30, 36]
Pharmacist	6/15	[28–30, 32, 35, 37]

ISSN: 1745-6215