Decreasing ED Utilization by Nudging Patients to Call Their Providers

NCT ID: NCT04567849

Last Updated: 2023-07-18

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

11546 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-11-16

Study Completion Date

2023-06-15

Brief Summary

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In the present study, patients will be sent a message shortly after completing a medical procedure that informs or reminds them that they can reach out to Geisinger, and how to do it, if they have any medical issues or concerns. Researchers will assess if such messages make patients more likely to contact Geisinger with post-procedure medical concerns and decrease emergency department utilization.

Detailed Description

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Decreasing emergency department (ED) over-utilization is a priority for healthcare systems across the country. Patients uncertain about a medical issue routinely end up in the ED when less costly and time-consuming alternatives could have addressed their concern. If patients reach out to healthcare facilities rather than heading directly to the ED, they can often be directed toward resources better suited to their concerns than the ED.

Geisinger is thus working to encourage patients to contact healthcare providers if any concerns arise and patients are uncertain about where to go for care. Patients who have recently had a medical procedure may be particularly valuable to encourage, as they routinely have concerns related to the procedure and discharge can serve as a useful touch-point to remind the patient where they can go for questions or concerns.

In the present study, patients will be sent a patient portal message shortly after completing any Women's Health medical procedure. The message will inform or remind patients how they can reach Geisinger if they have any medical issues or concerns. The purpose of this study is to assess if such messages make patients more likely to contact Geisinger with medical concerns and, in turn, decrease unnecessary ED utilization. This study will A/B test 2 messages, encouraging patients to either call their recent provider directly or to call a tele-nurse hotline, and will assess if these messages perform better than a control group that will not be sent any such message.

Generalized linear models will examine the primary study outcomes as a function of the study arms (between-subjects).

Conditions

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Emergency Treatment Telephone Hotlines

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Throughout the study, patients will be randomized equally across all three arms.
Primary Study Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Caregivers
Participants (i.e., patients) will not be informed specifically of their assignment to different arms throughout the study. Providers will not be randomized to study arms or informed of patient assignment.

Study Groups

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Control

No intervention control group

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Nudge: call provider

This group will receive a patient portal message the morning after completing their procedure. The message will encourage patients to call their recent Women's Health provider (with appropriate phone number listed) if any questions or concerns arise about their healthcare.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

message

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

patient portal message

provider

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

nudging calling the patient's provider

Nudge: call tele-nurse

This group will receive a patient portal message the morning after completing their procedure. The message will encourage patients to call Geisinger's nurse triage hotline (with appropriate phone number listed) if any questions or concerns arise about their healthcare.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

message

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

patient portal message

tele-nurse

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

nudging calling the tele-nurse

Interventions

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message

patient portal message

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

provider

nudging calling the patient's provider

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

tele-nurse

nudging calling the tele-nurse

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Patient had a procedure in Women's Health within the study period (including both surgical and in-office procedures as well as baby delivery)
* Patient is enrolled in myGeisinger, Geisinger's patient portal

Exclusion Criteria

* If procedure was labor that resulted in fetal demise or stillborn.
Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Geisinger Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Amir Goren

Program Director, Behavioral Insights Team

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Amir Goren, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Geisinger Clinic

Locations

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Geisinger

Danville, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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2020-0849

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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