Act in Time - Designing a generic implementation model for a more health-promotive practice in primary healthcare

There is evidence for effective preventive measures that will result in savings for society and healthcare and, reduce suffering for the individual if sufficiently integrated. However, the uptake of the recommendations in clinical practise is insufficient and potential benefits are not realized. The challenges to integrate new ways of working in clinical practice is commonly underestimated, also when the way of working is uncomplicated.  The aim of the project is to design a generic implementation model of a systematic health-promotive practice in Swedish healthcare for the benefit of patients and healthcare staff. We will analyze and weigh together qualitative and quantitative data collected during a total of 36 months. A generic implementation model may facilitate for healthcare staff in primary care to offer health-promotive activities more systematically to a larger number of citizens. This will reduce the proportion of people falling ill or dying due to preventable non-communicable diseases. Implementing a health-promotive practice is important since the demographic development and the increasing proportion of the population with unhealthy lifestyle habits will put progressively increasing demands on the society and the healthcare system. Designing a generic model demands a through description of the activities in the support provided to the staff (WHAT has been done and HOW), evaluation of short- and long-term effects (IF it works), exploring of the mechanisms (WHAT works) and that the experiences of working more health-promotive and of the support given are explored. The Act in Time project is testing a pilot prototype that after testing and adjustment can be presented as a generic model. The project is supported by the Region Örebro Research Committee, the Kamprad Family Foundation and Nyckelfonden.