Trial Outcomes & Findings for Aligning Patient Preferences: a Role Offering Alzheimer's Patients, Caregivers, and Healthcare Providers Education and Support (NCT NCT03323502)

NCT ID: NCT03323502

Last Updated: 2025-12-11

Results Overview

Hospital transfers (admissions and emergency department visits) over 12 months between Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) patients in intervention vs. control NHs

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

47396 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

12 months

Results posted on

2025-12-11

Participant Flow

145 nursing homes (NH) in 10 states were screened for eligibility. 142 nursing home (NH) facilities in 8 states met inclusion criteria and were randomized to two arms of the study. Corporate ownership divested from 14 facilities prior to study implementation and were thus excluded from study participation. 128 NHs participated in study implementation and were analyzed.

The analysis sample is residents who were identified to have Alzheimer's disease or related dementia (ADRD) or a Cognitive Function Scale (CFS) score \>=2 and this sample had to be identified after the intervention period through cleaning the resident data received from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This is why we had available information for all residents (47396) but only analyzed the sample of ADRD residents (14832). Participant Flow is used to show steps of exclusion.

Unit of analysis: Nursing Home Facilities

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program
Enrolled facilities that will be trained in the APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist Program. APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program: The APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist will work with nursing home leaders (in intervention arm facilities) to: i. Consolidate nursing home ACP procedures; ii. Train and educate staff; and iii. Facilitate ACP Specialist Program with patients who have Alzheimer's disease/related dementias and their family caregivers.
Control
Enrolled facilities that will perform standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures. Standard of care: Standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures
Overall Study
STARTED
24148 64
23248 64
Overall Study
COMPLETED
7474 64
7358 64
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
16674 0
15890 0

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure
APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program
Enrolled facilities that will be trained in the APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist Program. APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program: The APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist will work with nursing home leaders (in intervention arm facilities) to: i. Consolidate nursing home ACP procedures; ii. Train and educate staff; and iii. Facilitate ACP Specialist Program with patients who have Alzheimer's disease/related dementias and their family caregivers.
Control
Enrolled facilities that will perform standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures. Standard of care: Standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures
Overall Study
Resident could not be linked to CMS data
594
435
Overall Study
Resident cognitive status could not be determined from CMS data
6551
6426
Overall Study
Resident was enrolled in hospice care at study start (exclusion criteria)
247
260
Overall Study
Resident did not reside in facility for at least one day of study period (exclusion criteria)
896
573
Overall Study
Resident did not have ADRD as defined by study (exclusion criteria)
8386
8196

Baseline Characteristics

Aligning Patient Preferences: a Role Offering Alzheimer's Patients, Caregivers, and Healthcare Providers Education and Support

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program
n=7474 Participants
Enrolled facilities that will be trained in the APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist Program. APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program: The APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist will work with nursing home leaders (in intervention arm facilities) to: i. Consolidate nursing home ACP procedures; ii. Train and educate staff; and iii. Facilitate ACP Specialist Program with patients who have Alzheimer's disease/related dementias and their family caregivers.
Control
n=7358 Participants
Enrolled facilities that will perform standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures. Standard of care: Standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures
Total
n=14832 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
n=237 Participants
0 Participants
n=243 Participants
0 Participants
n=480 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
759 Participants
n=237 Participants
681 Participants
n=243 Participants
1440 Participants
n=480 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
6715 Participants
n=237 Participants
6677 Participants
n=243 Participants
13392 Participants
n=480 Participants
Age, Continuous
78.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11 • n=237 Participants
79.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.8 • n=243 Participants
79.0 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.9 • n=480 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
4688 Participants
n=237 Participants
4683 Participants
n=243 Participants
9371 Participants
n=480 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
2786 Participants
n=237 Participants
2675 Participants
n=243 Participants
5461 Participants
n=480 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
318 Participants
n=237 Participants
167 Participants
n=243 Participants
485 Participants
n=480 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
7156 Participants
n=237 Participants
7191 Participants
n=243 Participants
14347 Participants
n=480 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=237 Participants
0 Participants
n=243 Participants
0 Participants
n=480 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
2 Participants
n=237 Participants
3 Participants
n=243 Participants
5 Participants
n=480 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
6 Participants
n=237 Participants
12 Participants
n=243 Participants
18 Participants
n=480 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
2 Participants
n=237 Participants
0 Participants
n=243 Participants
2 Participants
n=480 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
933 Participants
n=237 Participants
824 Participants
n=243 Participants
1757 Participants
n=480 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
5650 Participants
n=237 Participants
5751 Participants
n=243 Participants
11401 Participants
n=480 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
13 Participants
n=237 Participants
21 Participants
n=243 Participants
34 Participants
n=480 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
868 Participants
n=237 Participants
747 Participants
n=243 Participants
1615 Participants
n=480 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
7474 participants
n=237 Participants
7358 participants
n=243 Participants
14832 participants
n=480 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 months

Population: Only the residents who were identified by our definition as being diagnosed with ADRD are included in our outcomes analyses.

Hospital transfers (admissions and emergency department visits) over 12 months between Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) patients in intervention vs. control NHs

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program
n=7474 Participants
Enrolled facilities that will be trained in the APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist Program. APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program: The APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist will work with nursing home leaders (in intervention arm facilities) to: i. Consolidate nursing home ACP procedures; ii. Train and educate staff; and iii. Facilitate ACP Specialist Program with patients who have Alzheimer's disease/related dementias and their family caregivers.
Control
n=7358 Participants
Enrolled facilities that will perform standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures. Standard of care: Standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures
Hospital Transfers
1.2 number of hospital transfers
Standard Deviation 2.3
1.3 number of hospital transfers
Standard Deviation 2.4

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 months

Population: Only the residents who were identified by our definition as being diagnosed with ADRD are included in our outcomes analyses.

% ADRD patients who use hospice

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program
n=7474 Participants
Enrolled facilities that will be trained in the APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist Program. APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program: The APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist will work with nursing home leaders (in intervention arm facilities) to: i. Consolidate nursing home ACP procedures; ii. Train and educate staff; and iii. Facilitate ACP Specialist Program with patients who have Alzheimer's disease/related dementias and their family caregivers.
Control
n=7358 Participants
Enrolled facilities that will perform standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures. Standard of care: Standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures
Hospice Enrollment
1095 Participants
1181 Participants

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 12 months

Population: Only the residents who were identified by our definition as being diagnosed with ADRD are included in our outcomes analyses. Numbers are reported only for participants whose location of death could be confirmed. Participants analyzed is ADRD deaths.

% ADRD decedents who died in the hospital

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program
n=2 Participants
Enrolled facilities that will be trained in the APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist Program. APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program: The APPROACHES Advance Care Planning (ACP) Specialist will work with nursing home leaders (in intervention arm facilities) to: i. Consolidate nursing home ACP procedures; ii. Train and educate staff; and iii. Facilitate ACP Specialist Program with patients who have Alzheimer's disease/related dementias and their family caregivers.
Control
n=1 Participants
Enrolled facilities that will perform standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures. Standard of care: Standard of care Advance Care Planning (ACP) procedures
Death in Hospital
163 Participants
146 Participants

Adverse Events

Control

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 1980 deaths

APPROACHES ACP Specialist Program

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 2005 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Dr. Susan Hickman

Indiana University School of Nursing

Phone: 317-274-0032

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place