Background
We developed the STRETCHED logic model to describe key components, mechanisms of change and expected impacts of cross-sectoral case management approaches to the management of people who call the emergency ambulance service frequently. We then used the logic model to inform later stages of the study – data collection; analysis; interpretation of findings.
Results
A total of 37 people from Wales, England and Northern Ireland attended our stakeholder event with participation from patient representatives and professional staff involved in commissioning, planning and delivering case management for people who call the emergency ambulance services frequently. At this face-to-face workshop we presented an overview of the STRETCHED study, an explanation of what a logic model is and its purpose, and then broke into small groups to discuss four elements of the logic model – components, mechanisms, impacts and context.
We sorted participants into mixed groups for these discussions and rotated the focus of the discussion between tables so that everyone had the opportunity to discuss all elements. A note taker was nominated by group members and was asked to jot down key elements, which were stuck to a board for further sorting and coding after the workshop day.
These aggregated responses from the participants were then used as the basis for developing the STRETCHED logic model (Figure 1).
FIGURE 1 STRETCHED logic model. a, Outcomes included in STRETCHED study protocol. (Figure not reproduced here; see the original article.)