NCT01134887

Brief Summary

This randomized control study tested the feasibility of two communication enhancement interventions: one with veterans who had a stroke and demonstrated poorly controlled hypertension; the other with VA primary care providers who provided routine outpatient medical care to these veterans. This study intervened with both members of the provider-patient dyad in an attempt to improve the self-management of hypertension by improving communication during visits to the VA outpatient clinic, specifically by enabling veterans to communicate their questions and concerns about chronic disease self-management to their providers more effectively, and to help providers improve their ability to communicate more effectively with this population of veterans.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
26

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for not_applicable hypertension

Timeline
Completed

Started Sep 2009

Longer than P75 for not_applicable hypertension

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 1, 2009

Completed
9 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

May 28, 2010

Completed
5 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

June 2, 2010

Completed
2.3 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 30, 2012

Completed
3.5 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

April 14, 2016

Completed
10 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

January 30, 2017

Completed
Last Updated

August 1, 2017

Status Verified

June 1, 2017

Enrollment Period

3.1 years

First QC Date

May 28, 2010

Results QC Date

February 3, 2015

Last Update Submit

June 26, 2017

Conditions

Keywords

hypertensionphysician-patient relationscommunication

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Patient Activation Measure

    Veteran self-management of hypertension measured via the 13-item, (0-100 point range), Patient Activation Measure (PAM). Administered at baseline (1st visit) and after each additional follow-up visit during the next 12-months (+2 max). Rasch conversion changed raw scores to the PAM interval measure. Reported outcome is difference in mean PAM scores at baseline and during 12-month follow-up. If a participant had two PAM scores during the follow-up period, the average of the two was taken to calculate a combined follow-up score. Higher PAM scores represent higher levels of self-activation. Research on the PAM measure indicates that each point increase in PAM score correlates to a 2% decrease in hospitalization and a 2% increase in medication adherence. Ranges for Baseline PAM scores: Intervention = 46.1 (min) to 84.3 (max); Control = 43.2 (min) to 77 (max). Ranges for Follow-up PAM scores: Intervention = 48.4 (min) to 100 (max); Control = 45.1 (min) to 80.1 (max).

    12 months

Study Arms (4)

Arm 1: Intervention-Veterans

EXPERIMENTAL

Veterans enrolled in the "Intervention-Veterans" arm received a copy of the NIA guide for "Talking with Your Doctor" \[Informational Guide for Patients\]. Just prior to their next scheduled visit an educator met with each Veteran in the intervention arm individually for 20-30 minutes to review the material in the pamphlet and develop a plan for enhancing communication about self-management of hypertension with their doctor \[Educational Coaching\]. To facilitate communication change, the educator assisted the patient in setting a goal to achieve during their visit. The educator also provided telephone follow-up within 24 hours to review satisfaction and effectiveness of the visit and assess barriers and facilitators to communicating about self-management.

Other: Informational Guide for PatientsBehavioral: Educational Coaching

Arm 2: Control-Veterans

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Veterans enrolled in the "Control-Veterans" arm received a copy of the NIA guide for "Talking with Your Doctor" \[Informational Guide for Patients\]. This pamphlet was specifically developed for this purpose (updated in 2002). It has pictorials and is written at an 8th grade level.

Other: Informational Guide for Patients

Arm 3: Intervention-Physicians

EXPERIMENTAL

Primary care providers randomly assigned to the "Intervention-Physicians" arm of this study received a copy of the Four Habits of Highly Effective Physicians \[Monograph for Physicians\]. The Four Habits provided practical evidence-based advice for improving patient-physician communication. Second, physicians participated in an audiotaped intensive 30 minute, one-on-one educational intervention with PI Frankel after their first set of visits from their three participating patients \[Video-Assisted Coaching\], but before seeing them for follow-ups. The main goal of this meeting was to review and discuss the analysis of the physician's videotaped visits using the Four Habits framework, with a particular focus on improving communication about self-management.

Behavioral: Video-Assisted CoachingOther: Monograph for Physicians

Arm 4: Control-Physicians

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Primary care providers randomly assigned to the "Control-Physicians" arm of the study did not receive coaching or additional resources, and conducted their primary care practice as usual \[Control\].

Other: Control

Interventions

Veterans received a copy of the NIA guide for "Talking with Your Doctor". This pamphlet was specifically developed for this purpose (updated in 2002). It has pictorials and is written at an 8th grade level.

Arm 1: Intervention-VeteransArm 2: Control-Veterans

Physicians participated in an audiotaped intensive 30 minute, one-on-one educational intervention with PI Frankel after their first set of visits from their three participating patients, but before seeing them for follow-ups. The main goal of this video-assisted coaching session was to review and discuss the analysis of the physician's videotaped visits using the Four Habits framework, with a particular focus on improving communication about self-management.

Arm 3: Intervention-Physicians

Primary care providers randomly assigned to the "Intervention-Physicians" arm of this study received a copy of the Four Habits of Highly Effective Physicians. The Four Habits provided practical evidence-based advice for improving patient-physician communication.

Arm 3: Intervention-Physicians

an educator met with each Veteran in the intervention arm individually for 20-30 minutes to review the material in the pamphlet and develop a plan for enhancing communication about self-management of hypertension with their doctor \[Coaching\]. To facilitate communication change, the educator assisted the patient in setting a goal to achieve during their visit. The educator also provided telephone follow-up within 24 hours to review satisfaction and effectiveness of the visit and assess barriers and facilitators to communicating about self-management.

Arm 1: Intervention-Veterans
ControlOTHER

The primary care providers randomly assigned to the "Control-Physicians" arm did not receive any additional coaching or resources and conducted their practice as usual.

Arm 4: Control-Physicians

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 99 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Veteran:
  • Veteran is a patient of the enrolled provider
  • History of prior stroke
  • Poorly controlled hypertension with at least one measurement \>140/90 mm Hg in the past 12 months
  • Complete a 6-item screen for cognitive and language impairment with a score of 3 or higher
  • Sign the VA Media consent for use of picture and/or voice
  • Provider:
  • Primary care provider, Medicine Service
  • Sign VA media consent for use of picture and/or voice

You may not qualify if:

  • Life expectancy is less than 6 months
  • Non-English language patients
  • Inability to provide informed consent

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202-2884, United States

Location

Richard Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202-2884, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

HypertensionStrokeCommunication

Interventions

Physicians

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Vascular DiseasesCardiovascular DiseasesCerebrovascular DisordersBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System DiseasesBehavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Health PersonnelHealth Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Results Point of Contact

Title
Richard M. Frankel Ph.D.
Organization
Veterans Administration Health Services Research and Development

Study Officials

  • Richard M. Frankel, PhD

    Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
Yes

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
FED
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

May 28, 2010

First Posted

June 2, 2010

Study Start

September 1, 2009

Primary Completion

September 30, 2012

Study Completion

January 30, 2017

Last Updated

August 1, 2017

Results First Posted

April 14, 2016

Record last verified: 2017-06

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations