Patient Perceptions of the Relational Empathy of Healthcare Practitioners From the Department of Emergency Medicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Cell Neoplasm; Malignant Solid Neoplasm; COVID-19 Infection

Treatments: Other: Best Practice; Procedure: Discussion; Other: Questionnaire Administration

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05102656

NCI-2021-10960 (Registry Identifier)

2020-1298 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study investigates patients' perceptions of their doctor's or nurse's empathy during an in-person interaction with the doctor or nurse wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) compared to during a video interaction with the doctor or nurse without PPE. The goal of this research study is to learn whether patients who visit the Acute Cancer Care Center at MD Anderson believe they get better (more empathetic) care from doctors who visit them in person wearing PPE or from doctors who visit them by video call and do not wear PPE.

Full description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine whether patients perceive their healthcare practitioner as more empathetic during an in-person interaction with the practitioner wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), or during a video interaction without the need for PPE.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess whether certain physicians perform better with video whereas others perform better in person.

II. To characterize generational differences in patient perception of healthcare practitioner empathy during an in person interaction with the practitioner wearing PPE, or during a video interaction without the need for PPE.

OUTLINE: After initial visit, patients are randomized to 1 of 2 groups.

GROUP A (NO PPE): Patients receive standard of care via video call with treating physician.

GROUP B (WEARING PPE): Patients receive standard of care in-person physician visits.

Enrollment: 107 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• >= 18 years old
• Able to speak and write in English
• Able to understand and willing to sign a written informed consent document
• Willing and able to complete the study assessment(s)

Exclusion criteria

• Refuses to participate
• Too ill to participate, in the estimation of the patient's physician

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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107 participants in 2 patient groups

Group A (video call)

Other group

Description:

Patients receive standard of care via video call with treating physician.

Treatment:

Other: Questionnaire Administration

Procedure: Discussion

Group B (in-person)

Other group

Description:

Patients receive standard of care in-person physician visits.

Treatment:

Other: Questionnaire Administration

Other: Best Practice