Local, collaborative, stepped and personalised care management for older people with chronic diseases (LoChro): study protocol of a randomised comparative effectiveness trial

Background: Multimorbid older adults suffering from a long-term health condition like depression, diabetes mellitus type 2, dementia or frailty are at high risk of losing their autonomy. Disability and multimorbidity in the older population are associated with social inequality and lead to soaring costs. Our local, collaborative, stepped and personalised care management for older people with chronic diseases (LoChro-Care) aims at improving outcomes for older multimorbid patients with chronic conditions whose social and medical care must be improved.

Methods: The study will evaluate the effects of LoChro-Care on functional health, depressive symptoms and satisfaction with care, resource utilisation as well as health costs in older persons with long-term conditions. The trial will compare the effectiveness of LoChro-Care and usual care in a cross-sectoral setting from hospital to community care. We will recruit 606 older adults (65+) admitted to local hospital inpatient or outpatient departments who are at risk of loss of independence. Half of them will be randomised to receive the LoChro-Care intervention, comprising seven to 16 contacts with chronic care managers (CCM) within 12 months. The hypothesis that LoChro-Care will result in better patient-centred outcomes will be tested through mixed-method process and outcome evaluation and valid measures completed at baseline and at 12 and 18 months. Cost-effectiveness analyses from the healthcare perspective will include incremental cost-effectiveness ratios.

Discussion: The trial will provide evidence about the effectiveness of local, collaborative, stepped and personalised care management for multimorbid patients with more than one functional impairment or chronic condition. Positive results will be a first step towards the implementation of a systematic cross-sectoral chronic care management to facilitate the appropriate use of available medical and nursing services and to enhance self-management of older people.

Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): DRKS00013904 ; Trial registration date: 02. February 2018.