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Effects of Preoperative Multidisciplinary Team Meetings for High-risk, Adult, Noncardiac Surgical Patients

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Noncardiac Surgery
Patient Care Team
Comorbidities and Coexisting Conditions
Postoperative Complications
Preoperative Care
Surgical Procedures, Operative
Interdisciplinary Communication
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Interventions
Other: Structured preoperative multidisciplinary team meeting
Registration Number
NCT05703230
Lead Sponsor
Rijnstate Hospital
Brief Summary

The current multicenter stepped wedge randomized cluster trial study aims to assess whether implementation of preoperative multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussions is (cost)effective for high risk noncardiac surgical patients.

The main questions to answer are:

* Primary question: Does implementation of preoperative multidisciplinary team discussions for high risk noncardiac surgical patients diminish serious adverse events as compared to care as usual at six months postoperatively or six months after multidisciplinary team discussion in case of nonsurgical treatment?

* Secondary questions: Does implementation of preoperative multidisciplinary team discussion for high risk noncardiac surgical patients improve disability, survival, functional outcome, quality of life and cost-effectiveness as compared to care as usual at six months postoperatively or six months after multidisciplinary team discussion in case of nonsurgical treatment?

Participants will be asked to answer questionnaires at baseline, 3, 6,9 and 12 months postoperatively or post MDT discussion.

Patients for whom no structured preoperative multidisciplinary discussion is installed yet (care as usual) will be compared with patients for whom a structured preoperative multidisciplinary discussion is performed (intervention).

The study will be performed in hospitals that have no established preoperative MDT meeting at the start of the study.

Detailed Description

Due to the increase in life expectancy and improved care for patients suffering from a chronic disease, the number of complex patients requiring a surgical intervention is increasing. It is important to balance the potential benefits of this surgical treatment against the risk of permanent loss of functional capacity and quality of life due to complications. European and US guidelines on perioperative care all recommend preoperative multidisciplinary team meetings for high-risk noncardiac surgical patients. However, the evidence underlying a benefit of a preoperative MDT meeting is absent and recommendations are based on expert opinion. Moreover, considerable practice variation is currently present.

This study will assess the efficacy of implementation of a preoperative structured multidisciplinary team (sMDT) meeting to optimize perioperative management for high risk noncardiac surgical patients.

The hypothesis is that implementation of preoperative sMDT meetings for high risk noncardiac surgical patients results in less serious adverse events, is more cost-effective, and improves quality of life and functional outcome at six months, compared to preoperative care as usual (control).

A preoperative structured Multidisciplinary Team (sMDT) meeting for high risk noncardiac surgical patients will be implemented in each participating center (n=14) throughout the study. In the sMDT meeting, patients' treatment plan and alternatives will be discussed by the anesthesiologist, surgical specialist and other relevant consultants or (specialized) nurses.

The primary outcome is Serious adverse events (SAEs) according to the Clavien Dindo classification grade 3 or more, at 6 months following surgery or following the preoperative sMDT meeting in case of nonsurgical management. Secondary outcomes are: functional outcome (12-item WHO Disability Assessment Schedule), survival, quality of life (WHOQOL BREF), patients' regret (including interview at 6 months), societal costs (iMCQ and iPCQ, Electronic Medical Record (EMR) data, EQ5D-5L), alterations in perioperative management and sMDT performance (MDT-MOT), and facilitators and barriers (using structured interviews health care professionals). Most secondary outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 30 days, 3, 6 and 12 months.

Subgroup analyses will take place for e.g. age groups (approximate quintiles), patient sex, size of hospital, intent of surgery, BMI categories (underweight, normal, overweight, obese, ≥super obese), ASA physical status, frailty, MET score, smoking behavior, alcohol use, comorbidity index score, planned postoperative destination, educational attainment, and employment status.

For detailed description, see below.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
1200
Inclusion Criteria
  • 18 years of age or older; and
  • American Society of Anesthesiology Physical Status (ASA-PS) score is 3 or more; and
  • Clinical Frailty Scale score is 4 or more; and
  • Patient is planned for elective or semi-elective noncardiac surgery; and
  • As stated by the Dutch perioperative guideline:
  • Doubt by the surgeon or anesthesiologist (or other discipline) regarding harm-benefit ratio of the surgical procedure; or
  • Doubt if the correct measures were taken to limit the perioperative risk as much as possible; or
  • Doubt if the patient agrees with the surgery or the anesthesiologic treatment and expected risks.
Exclusion Criteria
  • no informed consent
  • unable to communicate with patient (either directly or through third party)
  • emergency surgery
  • Proposed surgical intervention for which a structured preoperative multidisciplinary team meeting, similar to the current study intervention, already exists in this respective hospital at the start of the study

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SEQUENTIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Structured preoperative multidisciplinary team meetingStructured preoperative multidisciplinary team meetingPatients are discussed preoperatively in a structured preoperative multidisciplinary team meeting
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)6 months

Serious adverse events (SAEs), defined as:

1. Grade 3 or more on the Clavien Dindo classification following surgical intervention, or

2. non-operative SAEs will be graded accordingly i.e., events necessitating hospital admission, surgical intervention, single or multi-organ failure, or death.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Revised Cardiac Risk Index for Pre-Operative Risk (RCRI)baseline

The RCRI estimates patients' risk of cardiac complications after noncardiac surgery. The index is constructed by 6 items. The 6 items are scored yes (+1) or no (0), adding up to a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 6. The score is categorised into 4 categories (0, 1, 2, ≥3) and converted to "risk of major cardiac event (95% CI)" defined as death, myocardial infarction, or cardiac arrest at 30 days after noncardiac surgery.

Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS)baseline

A judgement-based frailty tool that evaluates specific domains including comorbidity, function, and cognition to generate a frailty score ranging from 1 (very fit) to 9 (terminally ill).

The number of alterations in perioperative management decided by the sMDT.baseline

The number of alterations in perioperative management decided by the sMDT (19, 20). Examples for alterations are (but not limited to) changes in; type of anaesthesia, type of surgery, planned postoperative intensive care admission, cancellation of surgery, additional medication or diagnostics.

The number of different medical specialties invited to participate in the sMDT meetingbaseline

The number of different medical specialties present during the sMDT meeting in order to describe the multidisciplinary attendance of the sMDT meetings.

Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET)baseline

Reflecting the amount of energy used by the body during physical activity.

The nature of alterations in perioperative management decided by the sMDT.baseline

The nature of alterations in perioperative management decided by the sMDT (19, 20). Examples for alterations are (but not limited to) changes in; type of anaesthesia, type of surgery, planned postoperative intensive care admission, cancellation of surgery, additional medication or diagnostics.

Regret of decision12 months

Patients regret of decision measured by a modification of the Decision Regret Scale at 3, 6 and 12 months and qualitative interviews with several patients at 6 months.

The decision regret scale is a 5-item questionnaire, scoring statements 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree). Final scoring consists of reversing the scores of the two negatively phrased items, then taking the mean of the five items. Last, the mean is converted to a score ranging from 0 to 100 by subtracting 1 and multiplying by 25. A higher score may indicate greater patient regret about their made treatment decisions. The scale was modified by adding a question asking by whom the decision was made. This question is not part of the previously described scoring of the 5-item decision regret scale.

Societal costs measured by a patient cost questionnaire12 months

Societal costs as measured by a cost questionnaire at baseline, 3 and 12 months, including items of the iMTA (Institute for Medical Technology Assessment) Medical Consumption Questionnaire (iMCQ) and iMTA Productivity Cost Questionnaire (iPCQ) with a recall period of 3 months.

Disability status12 months

The disability status of the patient, measured by the 12-item WHO disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). The WHODAS 2.0 results in a metric ranging from 0 to 100 ( where 0 = no disability; 100 = full disability).

Patient experienced quality of life12 months

Quality of life of the patient assessed by the abbreviated World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL BREF). The WHOQOL BREF results in a percentage of 0 to 100. The higher the percentage (to 100), the better the quality of life of the participant.

Survival30 days, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively

Survival at 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively

Adverse events30 days, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively

Adverse events at 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively

Hospital costs as a component of societal costs12 months

Hospital costs based on electronic medical record (EMR) patient data, as a component of societal costs. Measured at baseline (hospital costs over a period of 3 months prior to preoperative screening) and measured during 12 months follow up.

American College of Surgeons Surgical Risk Calculator (ACS-NSQIP (American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program))baseline

Estimates patients' risk of postoperative complications.

The number of different medical specialties present during the sMDT meetingbaseline

The number of different medical specialties present during the sMDT meeting in order to describe the multidisciplinary attendance of the sMDT meetings.

Quality-adjusted life years as a component of societal costs12 months

Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) measured by the EQ-5D-5L at baseline, 3 and 12 months, as a component of societal costs.

Patients' desired outcomebaseline

Patients' desired outcome will be assessed using the Outcome Prioritization Tool (OPT) at baseline (pre-operative assessment).

Surgical Outcome Risk Tool (SORT)baseline

Calculating an estimate of the patients' risk of death within 30 days of an operation.

The function of attending professionals at the sMDT meeting.baseline

The function of attending professionals at the sMDT meeting in order to describe the multidisciplinary attendance of the sMDT meetings.

Number of sMDT discussions per sitethrough study completion, 3 years

Number of sMDT discussions per site

Trial Locations

Locations (14)

Stichting Protestants Christelijk Ziekenhuis Ikazia

🇳🇱

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Stichting OLVG

🇳🇱

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Maastricht Universitair Medisch Centrum

🇳🇱

Maastricht, Netherlands

Zaans Medisch Centrum

🇳🇱

Zaandam, Netherlands

Stichting Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis

🇳🇱

's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

Stichting Meander Medisch Centrum

🇳🇱

Amersfoort, Netherlands

Gelre Ziekenhuis

🇳🇱

Apeldoorn, Netherlands

Groene Hart Ziekenhuis

🇳🇱

Gouda, Netherlands

Stichting Albert Schweitzer Ziekenhuis

🇳🇱

Dordrecht, Netherlands

Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen

🇳🇱

Groningen, Netherlands

Zuyderland Medisch Centrum

🇳🇱

Heerlen, Netherlands

Stichting Nijmeegs Interconfessioneel Ziekenhuis Canisius Wilhelmina

🇳🇱

Nijmegen, Netherlands

Stichting Bravis Ziekenhuis

🇳🇱

Roosendaal, Netherlands

Maxima Medisch Centrum

🇳🇱

Veldhoven, Netherlands

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