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Preoperative Risk Assessment in the Elderly

Conditions
Preoperative Risk Assessment
Interventions
Other: web-based questionnaires
Registration Number
NCT04160234
Lead Sponsor
RWTH Aachen University
Brief Summary

PrepTAB aims to determine whether elderly patients are able to complete 4 preoperative risk assessment questionnaires within a web-based survey.

Detailed Description

Elderly patients are the most rapidly increasing group among surgical admissions. They are prone to a higher risk, because of predisposing risk factors. A comprehensive preoperative risk assessment is recommended by the European Society of Anaesthesiologists guideline, but time-consuming and usually not performed at present. A telemedical approach would enable an out-of hospital risk assessment before hospital admission and provide important information without the need for additional in-hospital resources. The feasibility of the completion of a web-based questionnaire by elderly patients, within a controlled in-hospital setting is required, as a base for a telemedical approach.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
100
Inclusion Criteria
  • Legally competent patients
  • Written informed consent
  • Age ≥ 65, male, female, diverse
  • Multimorbid patients (≥ 2 comorbidities (according to the Charlson Comorbidity Index)
  • Major elective surgery (such as total abdominal hysterectomy, endoscopic resection of prostate, lumbar discectomy, thyroidectomy, total joint replacement, lung operations, colon resection, radical neck dissection etc.)
Exclusion Criteria
  • Blind or deaf patients
  • Patient/ Proxy not able to use electronic devices e.g. computer, tablet or smart phone
  • Non-fluency in local language
  • Alcohol and/ or drugs abuse
  • Ambulatory surgery
  • Repeated surgery, with previous participation
  • Patients with severe neurological or psychiatric disorder
  • Refusal of study participation by the patient

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Elderly patientweb-based questionnairesPreoperative elderly patients, who are planned for a surgical intervention
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Completion rate1 day

The completion rate of the total number of questions of the web-based questionnaires

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Frequency of patient's requests for help to the study team member1 day

The study team member, who is present during the study treatment, will assess the frequency of the patient's requests for help to him

Elapsed time for questionnaire completion1 day

The survey software will automatically count the elapsed time for completion of the questionnaires. The time will start in the moment, when the patient accesses the website and it will end when he presses the finish button

Frequency of patient's requests for help to the accompanying next of kin1 day

The study team member, who is present during the study treatment, will assess the frequency of the patient's requests for help to the accompanying next of kin

Assessment of the kind of patient's requests for help to the accompanying next of kin1 day

The study team member, who is present during the study treatment, will assess the kind of the patient's requests for help to the accompanying next of kin, divided into: technical request or request regarding the content of the web-based questions

Assessment of the kind of patient's requests for help to the study team member1 day

The study team member, who is present during the study treatment, will assess the kind of the patient's requests for help to himself, divided into: technical request or request regarding the content of the web-based questions

Ranking of unanswered questions1 day

We will analyse which questions where not answered by the most patients.

Patient satisfaction1 day

Analysis of patient satisfaction about the web-based questionnaires. A paper-based satisfaction questionnaire is provided to the patient after the completion of the web-based survey. The satisfaction questionnaire will consist of a 5-point Likert scale. It will consist of the items: Strongly disagree; Disagree; Neither agree nor disagree; Agree; Strongly agree

Frequency of technical problems1 day

The frequency of technical problems (i.e. internet connection, black screen etc.) will be assessed by the present study team member

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Aachen

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Aachen, NRW, Germany

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