NCT05797974

Does a Virtual Coach Offer a Better Solution for Weight Reduction in Ventral Hernia Patients With Obesity?

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 32 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Florida · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose for this research is to create a MyChart-enabled virtual coach that assists obese patients lose weight prior to ventral hernia surgery. Researchers intend to show how the use of a virtual coach is more effective in preoperative weight reduction prior to ventral hernia repair over usual care. Correspondingly, this may lower unplanned hospital readmissions. For this clinical trial, where randomization is not possible, the study team will implement the use of propensity score matching that sorts individuals into different study arms as if randomly assigned. The primary outcome is the average net amount of time-dependent weight change per group over six months. Secondary outcomes are for the intervention group, patient satisfaction with the virtual coach and for both groups, quality of life. In addition, areas of social and economic disadvantage will be identified that may contribute to higher obesity rates. Machine learning (ML) modeling will be used to determine the important features for weight lost over the course of the study. The impact of this work will be to demonstrate efficacy and realized workflow efficiencies within a hospital-based surgery clinic.

Conditions

• Obesity
• Ventral Hernia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	MyChart enabled virtual weight loss coach	MyChart-enabled virtual coach utilized to aid in preoperative weight loss.
OTHER	Standard preoperative weight loss tools	Participants will utilize current standard preoperative weight loss tools.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-02-15
• Primary completion: 2025-03-01
• Completion: 2025-03-01
• First posted: 2023-04-04
• Last updated: 2025-11-20
• Results posted: 2025-11-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States