Using Qualitative Interviews to Inform Disease Management Program Design

As part of its population health management strategy, Cambridge Health Alliance is developing disease management programs that aim to improve quality of care and reduce costs for patients with specific health conditions. To inform this effort, CHA hired ICH to conduct several sets of qualitative interviews with patients, each focused on a specific health condition. ICH conducted interviews with patients who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, opioid use disorder, and chronic pain. Interviews focused on the experience of living with the health condition in question, strategies for self-management, interactions with the healthcare system, and input on services and supports that would be helpful for patients. Through the interviews, ICH collected rich patient stories that helped CHA understand the day-to-day experience of living with each health condition and the factors that are most important to patients’ health and overall quality of life. CHA has used the interview data to guide the design of the disease management programs and identify specific interventions and services that will add value from the patient perspective.