Success factors for interventions to reduce low-value imaging. Six crucial lessons learned from a practical case study in Norway

Abstract

Background: Substantial overuse of health care services is identified and intensified efforts are incited to reduce low-value services in general and in imaging in particular.

Objective: To report crucial success factors for developing and implementing interventions to reduce specific low-value imaging examinations based on a case study in Norway.

Materials and methods: Mixed methods design including one systematic review, one scoping review, implementation science, qualitative interviews, content analysis of stakeholders' input, and stakeholder deliberations.

Results: The description and analysis of an intervention to reduce low-value imaging in Norway identifies six general success factors: 1) Acknowledging complexity: advanced knowledge synthesis, competence of the context, and broad and strong stakeholder involvement is crucial to manage de-implementation complexity. 2) Clear consensus-based criteria for selecting low-value imaging procedures are key. 3) Having a clear target group is critical. 4) Stakeholder engagement is essential to ascertain intervention relevance and compliance. 5) Active and well-motivated intervention collaborators is imperative. 6) Paying close attention to the mechanisms of low-value imaging and the barriers to reduce it is decisive.

Conclusion: Reducing low-value imaging is crucial to increase the quality, safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the health services. Reducing low-value imaging is a complex task and paying attention to specific practical success factors is key.

Keywords: de-implementation; imaging; implementation; intervention; low-value.