Trial Outcomes & Findings for Coordination Toolkit and Coaching Project (NCT NCT03063294)

NCT ID: NCT03063294

Last Updated: 2023-07-27

Results Overview

The primary outcome was the 16-item Health Care System Hassles Scale. Recognized as a measure of care coordination, the Hassles questionnaire lists problems that patients may encounter with their general healthcare, as opposed to their care experience with one specific visit or provider. The questionnaire prompts patients to indicate how much situations such as "lack of information about why you've been referred to a specialist" have been a problem, using a 5-point scale ranging from 0 -4. Ratings were dichotomized (0 = "Not a problem at all" vs. 1 = any level of problem indicated) and summed to yield a hassles count ranging from 0 to 16, with higher scores indicating more hassles.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

12 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Baseline and 12 months' follow-up

Results posted on

2023-07-27

Participant Flow

We recruited and enrolled VA primary care clinics from October 2016 to June 2018 using a multi-pronged approach, including teleconference presentations and direct outreach to regional and national leadership. Enrolled clinics participated in a 12-month quality improvement project.

Patient survey data were collected cross-sectionally at baseline and 12-months' follow-up to measure clinic outcomes. For the primary outcome (Health Care System Hassles Scale), both baseline and follow-up data are presented in the "outcomes" section; the primary measure of effectiveness depends on the change in outcome from baseline to follow-up.

Unit of analysis: Primary care clinics

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Toolkit Only
Clinics in this arm are given access to an online care coordination toolkit. Online Toolkit: The online toolkit provides a set of tools that clinics can use to improve their care coordination processes.
Toolkit Plus Coaching
Clinics in this arm are given access to an online care coordination toolkit plus quality improvement support from a distance-based coach. Online Toolkit: The online toolkit provides a set of tools that clinics can use to improve their care coordination processes. Distance-based coaching: The distance-based coach supports included clinics in carrying out a quality improvement project focused on care coordination, either using the online toolkit or other resources determined by the clinic.
Overall Study
STARTED
2463 6
2502 6
Overall Study
COMPLETED
2463 6
2502 6
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
0 0
0 0

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Coordination Toolkit and Coaching Project

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Toolkit Only
n=6 Primary care clinics
Clinics in this arm are given access to an online care coordination toolkit. Online Toolkit: The online toolkit provides a set of tools that clinics can use to improve their care coordination processes.
Toolkit Plus Coaching
n=6 Primary care clinics
Clinics in this arm are given access to an online care coordination toolkit plus quality improvement support from a distance-based coach. Online Toolkit: The online toolkit provides a set of tools that clinics can use to improve their care coordination processes. Distance-based coaching: The distance-based coach supports included clinics in carrying out a quality improvement project focused on care coordination, either using the online toolkit or other resources determined by the clinic.
Total
n=12 Primary care clinics
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Customized
Age · 65 or older
712 Participants
n=99 Participants
751 Participants
n=107 Participants
1463 Participants
n=206 Participants
Age, Customized
Age · Less than 65
508 Participants
n=99 Participants
463 Participants
n=107 Participants
971 Participants
n=206 Participants
Age, Customized
Age · Unknown
3 Participants
n=99 Participants
7 Participants
n=107 Participants
10 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Gender · Male
1036 Participants
n=99 Participants
1030 Participants
n=107 Participants
2066 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Gender · Female
180 Participants
n=99 Participants
181 Participants
n=107 Participants
361 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Gender · Other
1 Participants
n=99 Participants
2 Participants
n=107 Participants
3 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Gender · Unknown
6 Participants
n=99 Participants
8 Participants
n=107 Participants
14 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity · Non-Hispanic White
704 Participants
n=99 Participants
684 Participants
n=107 Participants
1388 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity · Black or African-American
137 Participants
n=99 Participants
142 Participants
n=107 Participants
279 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity · Hispanic
142 Participants
n=99 Participants
182 Participants
n=107 Participants
324 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity · Asian or Asian-American
74 Participants
n=99 Participants
43 Participants
n=107 Participants
117 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity · Other minority
27 Participants
n=99 Participants
13 Participants
n=107 Participants
40 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity · Multi-race/ethnicity
66 Participants
n=99 Participants
74 Participants
n=107 Participants
140 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/ethnicity · Unknown race/ethnicity
73 Participants
n=99 Participants
83 Participants
n=107 Participants
156 Participants
n=206 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline and 12 months' follow-up

Population: These data derive from two cross-sectional participant surveys at separate (i.e., baseline and follow-up) timepoints. The numbers of participants shown here exceed the numbers presented in the Baseline module because respondents from the surveys are two separate (i.e., independent) samples of participants. Sample sizes for each arm are smaller than reported in the participant flow module because not all survey responses received had valid primary outcome data for analysis.

The primary outcome was the 16-item Health Care System Hassles Scale. Recognized as a measure of care coordination, the Hassles questionnaire lists problems that patients may encounter with their general healthcare, as opposed to their care experience with one specific visit or provider. The questionnaire prompts patients to indicate how much situations such as "lack of information about why you've been referred to a specialist" have been a problem, using a 5-point scale ranging from 0 -4. Ratings were dichotomized (0 = "Not a problem at all" vs. 1 = any level of problem indicated) and summed to yield a hassles count ranging from 0 to 16, with higher scores indicating more hassles.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Toolkit Only
n=6 Primary care clinics
Clinics in this arm are given access to an online care coordination toolkit. Online Toolkit: The online toolkit provides a set of tools that clinics can use to improve their care coordination processes.
Toolkit Plus Coaching
n=6 Primary care clinics
Clinics in this arm are given access to an online care coordination toolkit plus quality improvement support from a distance-based coach. Online Toolkit: The online toolkit provides a set of tools that clinics can use to improve their care coordination processes. Distance-based coaching: The distance-based coach supports included clinics in carrying out a quality improvement project focused on care coordination, either using the online toolkit or other resources determined by the clinic.
Health Care System Hassles Scale
Baseline
5.20 units on a scale
Interval 4.95 to 5.46
4.71 units on a scale
Interval 4.47 to 4.96
Health Care System Hassles Scale
12-month Follow-up
4.78 units on a scale
Interval 4.53 to 5.04
4.30 units on a scale
Interval 4.04 to 4.56

Adverse Events

Toolkit Only

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

Toolkit Plus Coaching

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

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

David Avram Ganz, MD, PhD

Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

Phone: 310-478-3711

Results disclosure agreements

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