Improving Palliative Care Access Through Technology (ImPAcTT): A Multi- Component Pilot Study
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Telehealth
- Sponsor
- University of Utah
- Enrollment
- 81
- Locations
- 2
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in Symptom distress (composite measure)
- Status
- Suspended
- Last Updated
- 4 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
This project will focus on developing, optimizing and pilot-testing a multi-component Improving Access Through Technology (ImPAcTT) intervention that leverages existing telehealth technologies to provide staff education; family outreach, engagement and support; care coordination; and resident symptom management and facilitation of goals-of-care discussion.
Detailed Description
Almost 1.8 million older Americans live in nursing homes (NH), with estimates that this number will grow to more than 3 million by 2050. NHs are increasingly becoming the place of care and site of death for frail older adults dying from multiple chronic illnesses. Unfortunately, most residents die without the benefit of palliative care (PC) or with palliation delayed until the last days of life. Unfortunately, hospice services are often the only formal end of life care service available in NHs, and access to hospice enrollment is complicated by financial implications for both NHs and residents. Telehealth, or remote monitoring of patients through information and communication technologies, is an effective mechanism for addressing the increased demand on health services and has much to offer to people living with and dying from advanced illness. Moreover, numerous studies have demonstrated positive benefits of using telehealth in the NH to improve access to consultants (e.g., neurology, dermatology, psychiatry). Little is known, however, about the effect of using Telehealth on improving access to PC specialists in the NH setting. The proposed ImPAcTT intervention employs a secure communications platform that permits multi-person live video, audio, and text message consultations; real-time document sharing and documentation for advanced care planning discussions; and remote virtual assessment capabilities. The investigator will conduct a pilot implementation trial of ImPAcTT in 3 study nursing homes to evaluate our ability to safely recruit and retain study participants, collect appropriate and accurate data, and determine preliminary estimates of an effect size of the intervention.
Investigators
Caroline Stephens
PhD, RN, GNP-BC, FAAN, Helen Lowe Bamberger Colby Presidential Endowed Chair in Gerontological Nursing, Associate Professor
University of Utah
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Exclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in Symptom distress (composite measure)
Time Frame: Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks
Symptom distress as measured by the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale - ESAS * ESAS physical score (total of physical 6 symptoms, score range 0-60) * ESAS emotional score (total of 2 emotional symptoms, score range 0-60) * ESAS total symptom distress score (physical score + emotional score + well being) For all symptom distress scores: High score means: worst outcome Low score means: better outcome
Change in Symptom impact
Time Frame: Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks
Symptom impact as measured by the "Quality of Life at the End of Life" - QUAL-E Symptom impact subscale: Minimum value: 3 Maximum value: 15 High score means: worst outcome Low score means: better outcome
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in number of completed POLST forms(Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks)
- Number of residents transitioned to hospice(Last visit - week 12)
- Number of In-hospital death(Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks)
- Change in Functional Status(Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks)
- Change in Mortality(Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks)
- Change in Family Satisfaction(Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks)
- Change in acute care utilization (composite measure)(Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks)
- Type of changes in POLST forms(Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks)
- Change in Depression Status(Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks)
- Change in Cognitive Status(Baseline and Last visit -12 weeks)