Design of a Standardized Patient: Mentoring Program for Kidney Transplant Patients

The Ohio State University

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Kidney Transplant; Complications

Treatments: Behavioral: Discharge Mentoring

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03490188

2017H0190

Details and patient eligibility

About

There is an increasing number in patient's undergoing kidney transplantation in the United States. Furthermore, kidney recipients have high occurrence of 30-day readmissions that leads to high hospital costs and decreased quality of life for transplant recipients. A previous research finds that high levels of post-transplant anxiety is correlated with increased likelihood of 30-day readmissions. The goal of this study is to design and implementat a randomized control trial (RCT) using a standardized post-transplant mentoring program in order to reduce 30-day readmission and post-transplant anxiety among recipients.

Full description

In this research, the investigators will seek to examine the efficacy of using former patients as mentors to newly transplanted patients and its relationship with patient anxiety following discharge as well as the prevention of 30-day readmissions for kidney transplant recipients. The primary hypothesis is that the treatment group of patients who undergo a targeted mentorship program will be better compliant with the discharge instructions and will perform better when compared to the control group who undergoes current routine post-transplantation care. Evidence from this experiment can help advance our understanding of patient-engagement in the continuity of care delivery, decrease patient readmission rates, and improve overall cost utilization.

Methods:

The investigators will conduct a single institution randomized control trial assigning patients getting discharged after a kidney transplant to a treatment group that involves a 30-day mentoring initiative by former transplant patients, and comparing the efficacy with a similar control group. The overall study period will be divided into the following sections, summarized in Figure 1.

Enrollment: 150 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• any patient who received a kidney transplantation, deceased or living donor, during the study period.

Exclusion criteria

• anyone younger than 18 years old or older than 70 years old.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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150 participants in 2 patient groups

Treatment Arm

Experimental group

Description:

Patients assigned to treatment arm will receive standard post-transplantation discharge care that includes weekly follow-up visits and 24-hour access to transplant triage call center. In addition, they will be matched with a mentor who will conduct 5 meetings with the patients (which includes one video chat meeting, 4 30-minute phone calls) and discuss the following topics related to post-discharge: Medications, Lab Work, Fluid Intake and Adherence to doctor's appointment

Treatment:

Behavioral: Discharge Mentoring

Control Arm

No Intervention group

Description:

Control arm recipient will receive standard post-transplantation discharge care that includes weekly follow-up visits and 24-hour access to transplant triage call center