Use of Online Communications to Support Patients and Their Families in the Hospice Unit

Palliative Care Clinical Trial

Official title:

Use of Online Communications to Support Patients and Their Families in the Hospice Unit

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Not yet recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02483390
• Other study ID #: ?007/2015
• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• First received: June 10, 2015
• Last updated: June 25, 2015
• Start date: June 2015
• Est. completion date: May 2017

Study information

• Verified date: June 2015
• Source: Meir Medical Center
• Contact: Pesach Shvartzman, M.D.
• Phone: 972-8-6477429
• Email: SPESAH[@]BGU.AC.IL
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Israel: Ethics Commission
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The increasing awareness of the importance of palliative care has led, in Israel, to the 2005 Law for the Rights of Persons with Terminal Illness. Still, problems of accessibility to palliative care remain unresolved. The use of e-health services is likely to expand the ability of the medical, psychosocial and nursing staff to reach patients who are either living in the periphery, are unable to make clinic visits or whose family members are housebound in order to be caregivers. This exploratory research is designed to explore the issues, barriers and advantages of e-health care through the perspective of the palliative care staff members, the patients themselves and their caregiving family members.

Description:

This study is designed to test the applicability and suitability of e-health services (e.g. by use of SKYPE) to the psychosocial needs of patients and their families who are getting services through home hospice care. In addition, the attitudes of the hospice staff will be investigated to the use of e-health methods. The study will clarify selection criteria, referral pathways and barriers and/or supporting elements that will allow e-health services to be provided in a highly professional fashion. Up to 20 dyads of a patient and their primary caregiver will be recruited from those who are receiving services from the home hospice unit of the Kupat Holim Clalit (General Sick Fund) in the South of Israel.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Enrollment: 20
• Est. completion date: May 2017
• Est. primary completion date: May 2016
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient currently receiving care from the home hospice unit,

• over the age of 18,

• able to give informed consent,

• with a computer that can use SKYPE or a smartphone,

• speaking a language of the psychosocial staff person (Hebrew, English, Russian, Arabic).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Brain tumors,

• dementia,

• speech disturbance,

• refusal to participate,

• language other than the four spoken by psychosocial staff members,

• inability to use technology or lack of computer in the home.

Study Design

Allocation: Non-Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Supportive Care

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Palliative Care

Intervention

Other:
• psychosocial intervention
e-health services (e.g. by use of SKYPE) to the psychosocial needs of patients and their families who are getting services through home hospice care. In addition, the attitudes of the hospice staff will be investigated to the use of e-health methods.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
n/a

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Pesach Shvartzman

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	SWAT - The social work assessment tool	Tool to assess the quality of social work psychosocial services	One year	No
Secondary	EIS (Emotional Intimacy Scale)	assess the emotional intimacy component a close relationship	6 month	No
Secondary	SLDS (Satisfaction with cancer scale)	assess cancer patient quality of life	6 month	No
Secondary	the will to live question	assess the will to live in a specific time point	6 month	No
Secondary	ZBI (Zarit burden scale),	assess primary care burden	6 month	No
Secondary	attitudes toward use of e-therapy questionnaire.	estimate attitudes of professional care giver	6 month	No