Impact of an E-learning Tool on Patient Satisfaction, Knowledge and Medication Adherence in Solid Organ Transplantation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Jennifer Harrison

Status: Completed

Conditions: Solid Organ Transplantation

Treatments: Other: Transplant Medication Information Teaching Tool

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01826721

REB10-0987-AE

Details and patient eligibility

About

Solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR) must follow complex medication regimens and require a substantial amount of education for effective self-management. The current standard of care for post-transplant medication teaching is a Self Medication education program conducted in hospital by the pharmacist. The Transplant Medication Information Teaching Tool (TMITT) is a web-based e-learning tool for SOTR developed at the Toronto General Hospital. The ability to control the content, sequence, pace and timing of education in order to achieve personal learning objectives, as well as the opportunity for ongoing review and reinforcement of information, may be an attractive, convenient and effective teaching modality.

SOTR will be randomly assigned to receive the standard of care or the standard of care plus the TMITT intervention. Primary objectives are to compare patient satisfaction and medication knowledge between the two groups at baseline and 3 months using modified versions of previously published questionnaires. Medication adherence as measured by a multidimensional approach including both subjective and objective components, will also be compared at 3 months. Our hypothesis is that an education strategy that includes both the standard pharmacist teaching followed by a tailored online e-learning intervention post-discharge will lead to improved patient satisfaction, knowledge and medication adherence.

Enrollment: 246 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• all patients undergoing solid organ transplantation at Toronto General Hospital during the study period

Exclusion criteria

• non-English speaking/reading
• no internet access at home
• planned discharge to a rehab facility without internet access
• not on a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) or sirolimus
• attending the Self Medication class on the same day as hospital discharge
• cognitive impairment that precludes participation in Self Medication program (as per the assessment of the transplant pharmacist)
• incapable of providing informed consent

Trial design

246 participants in 2 patient groups

Standard of Care

No Intervention group

Description:

Patients in the Standard of Care arm receive the usual in-hospital post-transplant medication teaching class led by a transplant pharmacist.

TMITT

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients in this arm receive the standard of care plus the TMITT educational intervention.

Treatment:

Other: Transplant Medication Information Teaching Tool