ALIGN Intervention in Patients With Advanced Cancer Discharging to a SNF

University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver)

Status and phase: Completed; Early Phase 1

Conditions: Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: ALIGN

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04882111

20-1656.cc

P30CA046934 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a single arm, pre-post, pilot study assessing the feasibility and acceptability of the ALIGN intervention in metastatic adult cancer patients discharging to local area SNFs.

Full description

A novel approach for delivering high quality palliative care for cancer patients discharging to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) is critically needed. This investigator plans to test a palliative care social work led intervention called ALIGN (Assessing and Listening to Individual Goals and Needs) that aims to define patient and caregiver goals, facilitate communication between patients and their care teams, and develop a patient-centered plan that accompanies the patient across all future health system transitions. The central hypothesis is that implementation of ALIGN is feasible and acceptable for cancer patients and their caregivers and SNF staff.

Enrollment: 45 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Stage II - IV solid tumor malignancy
2. Discharging from an acute care hospital to a SNF in the metro Denver area
3. Decisional capacity to consent
4. English speaking
5. (During COVID requirements) Either internet access through a computer, tablet, or smartphone OR cellular service with adequate allowance of cellular minutes to allow virtual visits (by participant's assessment)

Exclusion criteria

1. Discharging with hospice as their goal of care

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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45 participants in 1 patient group

Discharged Cancer Patients

Experimental group

Description:

25 patients, adults ≥ 18, with stage II - IV solid tumor malignancy discharging from an acute care hospital to a SNF in the metro Denver area who have decisional capacity to consent and are English speaking.

Treatment:

Behavioral: ALIGN