NCT05601765

The Effect of Digital Team-based Communication on Patient-initiated Telephone Contacts to Hospital After Discharge

The Effect of Digital Team-based Communication Between Orthopaedic Surgery Patients and Healthcare Professionals on Patient-initiated Telephone Contacts to Hospital After Discharge: a Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 70 (actual)
• Sponsor: Aalborg University Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of eDialogue versus standard communication pathways on patient-initiated telephone contacts to the hospital following discharge. Secondary aims are to explore the effect on other patient-initiated contacts after hospital discharge (mail, video, SMS, personal attendance) and, if digital team-based communication can positively affect patients experience of continuity of care.

Detailed description

Transition of care from hospital to home following orthopaedic surgery pose a significant risk to patient safety. After discharge, patients or primary care providers may need to communicate with the specialized healthcare team at the hospital about symptoms, postoperative complications, rehabilitation, wounds and medication, but are hampered by a fragmented healthcare system with slow communication pathways. Communication through phone often involves several intermediaries and waiting time for both patients and healthcare professionals. The fact that patients and healthcare professionals must be present at the same time is inflexible and disruptive to work processes. However, cross-sectoral communication and collaboration with patients after hospital discharge are prerequisites to achieve high-quality care and good patient outcomes. Review of the literature show that few studies have explored the effects of digital team-based communication with the patient and across sectors to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing after discharge. On the basis of findings from a preliminary pilot study suggesting asynchronous digital team-based communication between orthopaedic surgery patients and healthcare professionals across sectors (eDialogue) may be a solution to the existing problems in communication pathways, we initiated this trial.

Conditions

• Orthopaedic Surgery

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Standard communication pathways after discharge	Standard communication pathways after discharge
OTHER	Digital team-based communication after discharge	Standard communication pathways plus digital team-based communication after discharge

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-10-31
• Primary completion: 2023-06-01
• Completion: 2023-07-10
• First posted: 2022-11-01
• Last updated: 2023-11-03

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Denmark