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MULTIFIT Computer System Improves Outcomes in Chronic Care
Development of case management system for serious disorders
From 1992 to 1995, staff at Stanford University School of Medicine adapted MULTIFIT—a computer-based case management system initially developed for patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction—to the care of patients with congestive heart failure, diabetes and hypertension.
The project team also tested the adapted system with patients in each disease category.
Key Findings
- The project demonstrated that it was feasible to adapt the MULTIFIT system for all three chronic illnesses and that nurses could effectively implement the management algorithms.
- The use of the system with patients in the three disease categories improved both regimen adherence and outcomes.
Funding
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) supported this project through two grants and a contract totaling of $927,964:
- The first grant to Stanford University School of Medicine covered the adaptation of MULTIFIT. The second grant, an extension of the first, was needed because of unanticipated patient-enrollment shortages.
- A contract to the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute also addressed this shortage by allowing their liaison physicians to participate in patient enrollment for the development and testing of MULTIFIT.