Promoting Health by Self Experience (PHASE) Randomized Controlled Trial (PHASE)

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a personal experience and personal initiation program on the health prevention activities of the health providers and the following impact on their patients compared with a control (no-intervention) group.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial Randomization: Health providers of all disciplines will be recruited from 10 clinics of Clalit Health Services, Dan district and randomized using cluster (by clinic) randomization, into an intervention and a control group. In each clinic 15 health care providers and 50 patients will be interviewed providing a total of 150 health care providers and 500 patients.

Intervention: The intervention will be delivered by psychologists and social workers trained in group facilitation and experimental learning. The program is based on theories of experimental learning and Bridges model of change. In each intervention clinic 5 workshops on the initiation of health prevention projects in each clinic will be organized by the intervention team and than the clinic will be followed by the intervention team for 6 months. No intervention will be provided to the control clinics.

Outcomes: changes in quality measurements of both intervention and non-intervention clinics. Among health providers changes in attitudes, personal views and life style as well as health prevention activities will be assessed by questionnaires. A random sample of 50 patients age 21-50 from each of the participating clinics will be selected and interviewed using a questionnaire. The questionnaires will include questions regarding the administration of screening tests, treatment of abnormal measurements, life style changes and satisfaction with the performance of the clinic and health care providers. The evaluation for both health care providers and patients will be performed at baseline and after 6 months.