Development and Validation of a Tool to Measure Hand-off Quality

NCT01059942 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 09-258-A1R03H5018278-01
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 27
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this project is to develop and validate a simple, flexible, reliable, real-time observation tool to evaluate hand-off practices. The Hand-off CEX is a paper-based instrument that can be used to evaluate either the sender or the receiver of hand-off communication. This tool is based on a previously-validated, widely-used, real-time educational evaluation tool (the Mini-CEX); published expert opinion; and our prior research . The investigators' tool incorporates unique role-based anchors for both senders and receivers that refer to verbal communication, professionalism and environment, hand-off domains informed by preliminary work and expert opinion. The Hand-off CEX(Clinical Evaluation Exercise) will be used by academic hospitalists and house-staff physicians to assess feasibility. We, the investigators, will also assess the construct validity and inter-rater reliability of the tool through the use of standardized, videotaped hand-off scenarios depicting various levels of performance of a hand-off scenario. We hypothesize that the Hand-off CEX will arm educators with an innovative, necessary, valid and feasible method for training health professionals to conduct safe and effective hand-offs. Finally, the Hand-off CEX will be a useful tool to assist hospitals in improving patient safety.

Conditions

Communication; Patient Care; Quality of Health Care

Keywords

communication barriers; clinical competence; medical education; internship and residency; hospitalist; Quality Assurance, Healthcare; Patient Care; Internal Medicine

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Residents and Hospitalists will use the Hand-off CEX to conduct evaluations of their sign-out process. In addition, each hand-off will be evaluated simultaneously by a trained observer.

  January 2010-January 2015

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Upon completion of the Hand-Off evaluation, participants and observers will be asked about their overall satisfaction with the evaluation. This will be a marker of the feasibility of the Hand-Off CEX.

  January 2010-January 2015

• For the validity part of the study, attending and house-staff physicians will analyze six video scenarios using the Hand-off CEX, rating each of the dimensions of hand-off competence for both the senders and receivers of the handoff.

  January 2010-January 2015

Study Arms (1)

Hospitalist physicians/house-staff

Consented Academic Hospitalist and Internal Medicine Residency staff

Other: mock handoff exposure; Other: Introduction of CEX tool in Actual Hand-offs

Interventions

mock handoff exposure OTHER

Attending and house-staff physicians will analyze six video scenarios using the Hand-off CEX, rating each of the dimensions of hand-off competence for both the senders and receivers of the mock hand-off.

Hospitalist physicians/house-staff

Introduction of CEX tool in Actual Hand-offs OTHER

We will teach hospitalist physicians and house-staff how to utilize the Hand-off CEX in conducting their own hand-offs.

Hospitalist physicians/house-staff

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Academic Hosptialists and Internal Medicine Residents of the University of Chicago Medical Center.

You may qualify if:

• All academic hospitalist and internal medicine house-staff are eligible to participate.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Chicago: lead
• Yale University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

The University of Chicago Medical Center

Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Communication

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Vineet M Arora, MD, MA

  University of Chicago

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 27, 2010
• First Posted: February 1, 2010
• Study Start: January 1, 2010
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2011
• Study Completion: December 1, 2012
• Last Updated: September 5, 2013

Record last verified: 2013-09

Locations

US (1)