The Effect of Digital Team-based Communication on Patient-initiated Telephone Contacts to Hospital After Discharge

NCT05601765 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 2021-219
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 70
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of eDialogue versus standard communication pathways on patient-initiated telephone contacts to the hospital following discharge. Secondary aims are to explore the effect on other patient-initiated contacts after hospital discharge (mail, video, SMS, personal attendance) and, if digital team-based communication can positively affect patients experience of continuity of care.

Conditions

Orthopaedic Surgery

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Patient-initiated telephone contacts to hospital up to 8 weeks after discharge

  Questionnaire on patient-initiated telephone contacts to hospital after discharge distributed once a week for 8 weeks after discharge. The questionnaire is short, self-developed and not validated, but tested for wording and understanding in 12 orthopaedic surgery patients using qualitative interviewing.

  8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Other patient-initiated contacts to hospital or other healthcare facilities through email, video, SMS up to 8 weeks after discharge

  8 weeks

• Patient Continuity of Care

  4 weeks

• Feeling safe and satisfied with access to healthcare professionals

  8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Standard communication pathways after discharge

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Patients who need contact within 72 hours of discharge are advised to call the bed section, from where they were discharged. Telephone counseling can be provided by the nurses available at the time of calling (e.g., questions for medical treatment, precautions after surgery etc.). * If deemed relevant, the patient may be asked to appear in person at the ward (e.g., for the examination of wounds). * If more serious conditions are suspected, a doctor or emergency department will be contacted by the nurse for assessment, triage and possibly readmission. Patients who need contact after 72 hours of discharge are advised to call the outpatient clinic, if they have planned attendances here, or alternatively their own general practitioner or home care nurse. Standard communication pathways between healthcare professionals across sectors are electronic correspondences and telephone inquiries.

Other: Standard communication pathways after discharge

Digital team-based communication after discharge

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients will be given access to digital communication with their healthcare team across sectors who are involved in their treatment and care after hospital discharge (eDialogue). They will be set up in a messenger-like tool on the day of discharge, and relevant healthcare professionals will be connected. Individually, the patients will define who they would like to involve, and consent is given digitally. The minimum participants for each patient will be the patient and/or their closest relative, the orthopaedic surgeon, a nurse from the outpatient clinic and a secretary. Patients will have access to eDialogue for 60 days after discharge, and the response rate is set to be 24 hours on weekdays. On weekends and public holidays, patients are informed that they cannot expect a response. If the primary healthcare professional is registered to be on vacation or other absence, "substitutes" within the respective health professional groups will be included.

Other: Digital team-based communication after discharge

Interventions

Standard communication pathways after discharge OTHER

Standard communication pathways after discharge

Standard communication pathways after discharge

Digital team-based communication after discharge OTHER

Standard communication pathways plus digital team-based communication after discharge

Digital team-based communication after discharge

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Patients admitted and operated at Aalborg University Hospital, who;
• have complex care needs involving cross disciplinary and cross sectoral care after hospital discharge
• will be discharged to their home
• will need follow-up in the outpatient clinic after discharge
• Patients at all ages, but:
• if patient is \< 15 years old, the parent(s) will be included in the study as user(s) of LetDialog.
• if patient is 15-18 years old, the patient will be the user in LetDialog and answer the questionnaires to comply with existing Danish legislation Health Act § 17. If the patient wishes, parent(s) can be included as user(s) in LetDialog as well.
• Have access to and ability to use a smartphone Have access to NemID (needed to create a GDPR-safe user profile in LetDialog)

You may not qualify if:

• Patients, who:
• have previously participated in the eDialogue pilot study
• are discharged to a rehabilitation center, nursing home or similar
• do not speak/read Danish or English well enough to understand participant information and use digital communication in Danish or English through LetDialog
• are included in other ongoing randomized controlled trials or prospective follow-up studies in the Orthopaedic Surgery Department at Aalborg University Hospital, where participation could possibly affect the results of these studies

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Aalborg University Hospital: lead
• Aalborg University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Orthopaedic Surgery Department, Aalborg University Hospital

Aalborg, 9000, Denmark

Location

Study Officials

• Ole Rahbek, PhD, MD

  Interdisciplinary Orthopaedics, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Lili WH Jensen, MSc

  Interdisciplinary Orthopaedics, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark

  STUDY CHAIR

• Birthe I Dinesen, PhD, MSc

  Aalborg University

  STUDY CHAIR

• Søren Kold, PhD, MD

  Interdisciplinary Orthopaedics, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor, MD

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 28, 2022
• First Posted: November 1, 2022
• Study Start: October 31, 2022
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2023
• Study Completion: July 10, 2023
• Last Updated: November 3, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: After 1 year from study start
• Access Criteria: Researchers that provide a methodologically sound plan

Locations

DK (1)