ModRUM - Modular Resource-Use Measure

What is ModRUM? 

ModRUM is a concise, generic, modular resource-use measure. ModRUM currently consists of a core healthcare module which includes 11 questions and can be used to collect self-report data on the healthcare services people use in UK-based studies. Depth questions are also available which can be replace or be added to core questions to capture more detail on key cost drivers or highly utilised resource.

How was ModRUM developed?

The following activities have been undertaken to develop and validate ModRUM:

• A Delphi consensus survey with health economists to identify a minimum set of items.
• Interviews with health economists to assess face and content validity (Thorn et al. 2018).
• Cognitive interviews with patients recruited from primary care to assess content validity and acceptability (Garfield et al. 2021).
• An online survey of health economists who provided feedback on the feasibility and suitability of ModRUM for collecting resource-use data in randomised controlled trials.
• A pilot study with 100 patients recruited from primary care to assess acceptability, feasibility, and validity.

Ongoing development

Social care, informal care, and aids and adaptations modules for ModRUM are currently being developed and tested. Electronic versions of the modules are also being developed.

Future development

In future, we plan to develop modules covering other sectors and a proxy version. If you are interested in developing other versions or translating ModRUM into another language, please contact us.

Who has funded this research?

The Delphi consensus survey was undertaken with the support of the MRC Collaboration and innovation for Difficult and Complex randomized controlled Trials In Invasive procedures (grant no. MR/K025643/1), the MRC North West Hub for Trials Methodology Research (grant no. MR/K025635/1), and the MRC Network of Hubs for Trials Methodology Research (grant no. MR/L004933/1-N57).

Development of ModRUM core module and core module with depth questions was supported by the MRC Network of Hubs for Trials Methodology Research (MR/L004933/2- PhD Award R9).

Ongoing development of new social care and other modules is being funded by an NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) award (NIHR201961). Development of the electronic version is being funded by the NIHR efficient/innovative delivery of NIHR research 2022 call (NIHR152370).