Implementing an Emergency Department to Home Care Transition Intervention

ED Patients With Chronic Medical Illnesses Clinical Trial

Official title: Implementing an Emergency Department to Home Care Transition Intervention

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a new way of educating/coaching chronically ill patients discharged from the Emergency Room will help them receive post-ER health care and strengthen their links to a regular, personal doctor.

Clinical Trial Description

Emergency Room (ER) patients with limited health literacy who agree to participate in this study will be asked to complete a survey about how they feel about their health care and how easy or hard it is to get health care. Patients will also be asked for some basic information about themselves like their age, race, gender, employment and marital status, their overall health and health conditions. The research team will review the electronic medical record for information about participants' health conditions and how sick the ER nurse thought the patient was when they came to the ER.

Patients who decide to participate in the study will also be randomly assigned, much like the flip of a coin to receive either a new way of educating patients (the Care Transition Intervention) or normal care. This means:

If patients receive the new way of educating, a coach will visit the patient at home one time one or two days after the ER visit to see how the patient is doing. He/she will talk with the patient about following up with a regular, personal doctor and symptoms to look out for. He/she will help the patient understand their medicines and help the patient make a personal health record. The coach will also tell the patient about the Area Agency on Aging, also called Elder Options. If the patient receives normal care, the patient will not receive a visit from the coach or hear about the Area Agency on Aging but will be given discharge instructions from the ER nurse and doctor.

If the patient receives the new way of educating (the Care Transition Intervention), the coach will call the patient at least 3 times after the ER visit. He/she will talk with the patient about the same items listed above. If the patient receives normal care, the coach will not call. The patient has a 1 in 2 chance of receiving the new way of educating and a 1 in 2 chance of receiving normal care.

All patients will be asked to complete a phone survey 31-60 days after their ER visit. This survey will ask the patient about follow up with a regular, personal doctor. The survey will also ask the patient how they feel about their health care and how easy or hard it is to get health care after an ER visit.

Some patients will also be asked if they are willing to give a separate interview. The study doctor will ask about what happened when you were in the ER. She will also ask about how things went after your ER visit. If the coach contacted you, she will ask about this as well. This interview will be audio recorded. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Prevention

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• ED Patients With Chronic Medical Illnesses
• Emergencies

• NCT number: NCT01973296
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of Florida
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: November 2013
• Completion date: December 2014