The Effect of a Telephone-based Health Coaching Disease Management Program on Medicaid Members With Chronic Conditions

A Proposed mHealth Intervention to Address Patient Barriers to Colposcopy Attendance: Qualitative Interview Study of Clinic Staff and Patient Perspectives

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer disparities persist among minoritized women due to infrequent screening and poor follow-up. Structural and psychosocial barriers to following up with colposcopy are problematic for minoritized women. Evidence-based interventions using patient navigation and tailored telephone counseling, including the Tailored Communication for Cervical Cancer Risk (TC3), have modestly improved colposcopy attendance. However, the efficacious TC3 intervention is human resource-intense and could have greater reach if adapted for mobile health, which increases convenience and access to health information.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to describe feedback from clinic staff members involved in colposcopy processes and patients referred for colposcopy regarding adaptions to the TC3 phone-based intervention to text messaging, which addresses barriers among those referred for colposcopy after abnormal screening results.

METHODS

Semistructured depth qualitative interviews were conducted over Zoom [Zoom Communications, Inc] or telephone with a purposive sample of 22 clinic staff members (including clinicians and support staff members) and 34 patients referred for colposcopy from 3 academic obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) clinics that serve predominantly low-income, minoritized patients in different urban locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Participants were asked about colposcopy attendance barriers and perspectives on a proposed text message intervention to provide tailored education and support in the time between abnormal cervical screening and colposcopy. The analytic team discussed interviews, wrote summaries, and consensus-coded transcripts, analyzing output for emergent findings and crystallizing themes.

RESULTS

Clinic staff members and patients had mixed feelings about a text-only intervention. They overwhelmingly perceived a need to provide patients with appointment reminders and information about abnormal cervical screening results and colposcopy purpose and procedure. Both groups also thought messages emphasizing that human papillomavirus is common and cervical cancer can be prevented with follow-up could enhance attendance. However, some had concerns about the privacy of text messages and text fatigue. Both groups thought that talking to clinic staff members was needed in certain instances; they proposed connecting patients experiencing complex psychosocial or structural barriers to staff members for additional information, psychological support, and help with scheduling around work and finding childcare and transportation solutions. They also identified inadequate scheduling and reminder systems as barriers. From this feedback, we revised our text message content and intervention design, adding a health coaching component to support patients with complex barriers and concerns.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinic staff members and patient perspectives are critical for designing appropriate and relevant interventions. These groups conveyed that text message-only interventions may be useful for patients with lesser barriers who may benefit from reminders, basic educational information, and scheduling support. However, multimodal interventions may be necessary for patients with complex barriers to colposcopy attendance, which we intend to evaluate in a subsequent trial.

Complexity of patient encounters within a clinically integrated community pharmacy network Medicaid payer program

BACKGROUND

Community pharmacists frequently care for patients with complex medical and social needs; however, specific evidence on pharmacist perceptions of what makes a patient encounter complex has not been clearly characterized. There is a need to better understand specific factors that contribute to patient encounter complexity and demonstrate how pharmacists in community settings care for these individuals.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this programmatic case study were to: (1) elucidate factors that contributed to patient encounter complexity as a part of a Medicaid Managed Care Organization comprehensive medication management payer program in community pharmacies and (2) curate a series of patient case vignettes that provide evidence of pharmacists care for patients with complex medical and social needs within community pharmacies.

METHODS

This qualitative programmatic case study utilized data from semi-structured interviews with community pharmacists who provided comprehensive medication management services to Medicaid patients in Pennsylvania. Pharmacists described their most complex patient encounter. Interviews were transcribed and independently coded by 2 investigators. The coded texts were grouped into categories, and a cross-case inductive thematic analysis was performed to identify complexity factors.

RESULTS

Thirty pharmacists provided 48 patient case vignettes and 3 complexity factors emerged: (1) care coordination; (2) behavioral health support; and (3) social determinants of health. Representative patient case vignettes were selected to illustrate these factors.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacists, who participated in a community pharmacy Medicaid Managed Care Organization payer program, provided care to patients with complex health needs. In addition to medication-related problems, specific factors that increased pharmacist perception of encounter complexity were care coordination with other health care providers, behavioral health support, and addressing social determinants of health.

Eight-year post-trial follow-up of morbidity and mortality of telephone health coaching

BACKGROUND

Health coaching is a patient-centred approach to supporting self-management for the chronic conditions. However, long-term evidence of effectiveness of health coaching remains scarce. The object of this study was to evaluate the long-term effect of telephone health coaching (THC) on mortality and morbidity among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D), coronary artery disease (CAD) and congestive heart failure (CHF)..

METHODS

1535 T2D, CAD and CHF patients with unmet treatment targets were randomly allocated into an intervention group (n = 1034) and control group (n = 501). Intervention group received monthly individual strength-based, autonomy supportive THC sessions (average 30 min) for behavior change with a specially trained nurse for 12 months additional to usual health care. Control group received usual health care services. The primary outcome was a composite of death from cardiovascular causes or non-fatal stroke or non-fatal myocardial infarction (AMI) or unstable angina pectoris (UAP) during a follow-up of 8 years Three other composite endpoints with distinct combinations of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events and death from any cause were used as secondary outcomes. Other outcomes followed were the most relevant components of the composite endpoints. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) data was linked to Finnish national health and social care registries and electronic health records (EHR). Post-trial eight-year evaluation was conducted using intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analysis.

RESULTS

The composite primary outcome event rate per 100 person years was lower in the intervention group (3.45) than in control group (3.88) in ITT -analysis, but the difference was not statistically significant (hazard ratio in the intervention group 0.87; 95% CI, 0.71 to 1.07; P = 0.19). In the subgroup (T2D, CAD/CHF) analysis, there were no statistically significant effects. The secondary PP-analysis showed statistically significant benefits for those who participated in the study.

CONCLUSIONS

No statistically significant effect of health coaching on mortality and morbidity was found in intention to treat analysis. The per protocol results suggest, however, that the intervention may be effective among patients who are willing and able to participate in health coaching. More research is needed to identify patients most likely to benefit from low-intensity health coaching.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT00552903 (registration date: the 1st of November 2007, updated the 3rd of February 2009).

Effects of telephone-based health coaching on patient-reported outcomes and health behavior change: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Telephone based health coaching (TBHC) seems to be a promising approach to foster self-management in patients with chronic conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a TBHC on patient-reported outcomes and health behavior for people living with chronic conditions in Germany.

METHODS

Patients insured at a statutory health insurance were randomized to an intervention group (IG; TBHC) and a control group (CG; usual care), using a stratified random allocation before giving informed consent (Zelen's single-consent design). The TBHC was based on motivational interviewing, goal setting, and shared decision-making and carried out by trained nurses. All outcomes were assessed yearly for three years. We used mixed effects models utilizing all available data in a modified intention-to-treat sample for the main analysis. Participants and study centers were included as random effects. All models were adjusted for age, education and campaign affiliation.

RESULTS

Of the 10,815 invited patients, 4,283 returned their questionnaires at baseline. The mean age was 67.23 years (SD = 9.3); 55.5% were female. According to the model, TBHC was statistically significant superior to CG regarding 6 of 19 outcomes: physical activity in hours per week (p = .030) and in metabolic rate per week (p = .048), BMI (p = .009) (although mainly at baseline), measuring blood pressure (p< .001), patient activation (p< .001), and health literacy (p< .001). Regarding stages of change (p = .005), the IG group also showed statistically different results than the CG group, however the conclusion remains inconclusive. Within-group contrasts indicating changes from baseline to follow-ups and significant between-group comparisons regarding these changes supported the findings. Standardized effect sizes were small. TBHC did not show any effect on mental QoL, health status, alcohol, smoking, adherence, measuring blood sugar, foot monitoring, anxiety, depression and distress. Campaign-specific subgroup effects were detected for 'foot monitoring by a physician' and 'blood sugar measurement'.

CONCLUSION

TBHC interventions might have small effects on some patient reported and behavioral outcomes.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Future research should focus on analyzing which intervention components are effective and who profits most from TBHC interventions.

REGISTRATION

German Clinical Trials Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien; DRKS): DRKS00000584.

Improving care for older people with long-term conditions and social care needs in Salford: the CLASSIC mixed-methods study, including RCT

Background

The Salford Integrated Care Programme (SICP) was a large-scale transformation project to improve care for older people with long-term conditions and social care needs. We report an evaluation of the ability of the SICP to deliver an enhanced experience of care, improved quality of life, reduced costs of care and improved cost-effectiveness.

Objectives

To explore the process of implementation of the SICP and the impact on patient outcomes and costs.

Design

Qualitative methods (interviews and observations) to explore implementation, a cohort multiple randomised controlled trial to assess patient outcomes through quasi-experiments and a formal trial, and an analysis of routine data sets and appropriate comparators using non-randomised methodologies.

Setting

Salford in the north-west of England.

Participants

Older people aged ≥ 65 years, carers, and health and social care professionals.

Interventions

A large-scale integrated care project with three core mechanisms of integration (community assets, multidisciplinary groups and an ‘integrated contact centre’).

Main outcome measures

Patient self-management, care experience and quality of life, and health-care utilisation and costs.

Data sources

Professional and patient interviews, patient self-report measures, and routine quantitative data on service utilisation.

Results

The SICP and subsequent developments have been sustained by strong partnerships between organisations. The SICP achieved ‘functional integration’ through the pooling of health and social care budgets, the development of the Alliance Agreement between four organisations and the development of the shared care record. ‘Service-level’ integration was slow and engagement with general practice was a challenge. We saw only minor changes in patient experience measures over the period of the evaluation (both improvements and reductions), with some increase in the use of community assets and care plans. Compared with other sites, the difference in the rates of admissions showed an increase in emergency admissions. Patient experience of health coaching was largely positive, although the effects of health coaching on activation and depression were not statistically significant. Economic analyses suggested that coaching was likely to be cost-effective, generating improvements in quality of life [mean incremental quality-adjusted life-year gain of 0.019, 95% confidence interval (CI) –0.006 to 0.043] at increased cost (mean incremental total cost increase of £150.58, 95% CI –£470.611 to £711.776).

Limitations

The Comprehensive Longitudinal Assessment of Salford Integrated Care study represents a single site evaluation, with consequent limits on external validity. Patient response rates to the cohort survey were < 40%.

Conclusions

The SICP has been implemented in a way that is consistent with the original vision. However, there has been more rapid success in establishing new integrated structures (such as a formal integrated care organisation), rather than in delivering mechanisms of integration at sufficient scale to have a large impact on patient outcomes.

Future work

Further research could focus on each of the mechanisms of integration. The multidisciplinary groups may require improved targeting of patients or disease subgroups to demonstrate effectiveness. Development of a proven model of health coaching that can be implemented at scale is required, especially one that would provide cost savings for commissioners or providers. Similarly, further exploration is required to assess the longer-term benefits of community assets and whether or not health impacts translate to reductions in care use.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN12286422.

Funding

This project was funded by the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme and will be published in full inHealth Services and Delivery Research; Vol. 6, No. 31. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Key Design Considerations When Calculating Cost Savings for Population Health Management Programs in an Observational Setting

OBJECTIVE

To illustrate the impact of key quasi-experimental design elements on cost savings measurement for population health management (PHM) programs.

DATA SOURCES

Population health management program records and Medicaid claims and enrollment data from December 2011 through March 2016.

STUDY DESIGN

The study uses a difference-in-difference design to compare changes in cost and utilization outcomes between program participants and propensity score-matched nonparticipants. Comparisons of measured savings are made based on (1) stable versus dynamic population enrollment and (2) all eligible versus enrolled-only participant definitions. Options for the operationalization of time are also discussed.

DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS

Individual-level Medicaid administrative and claims data and PHM program records are used to match study groups on baseline risk factors and assess changes in costs and utilization.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Savings estimates are statistically similar but smaller in magnitude when eliminating variability based on duration of population enrollment and when evaluating program impact on the entire target population. Measurement in calendar time, when possible, simplifies interpretability.

CONCLUSION

Program evaluation design elements, including population stability and participant definitions, can influence the estimated magnitude of program savings for the payer and should be considered carefully. Time specifications can also affect interpretability and usefulness.

Cost-Effectiveness of Health Coaching: An Integrative Review

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this review was to evaluate published literature to distinguish how health coaching influences the cost of chronic disease management in insured adults with chronic conditions.

PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING

An integrated literature review was conducted. MEDLINE, Business Source Complete, and OneSearch were searched for the years 2001-2016 utilizing the following key words: health coaching, health coaching AND insurance companies, health coaching AND cost, health coaching AND health insurance, and health coaching AND insurance cost. A total of 67 articles met inclusion criteria and were assessed for applicability. Of those, 27 articles were found to be relevant to the research question. The practice settings of these articles are mostly primary care and wellness programs.

FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS

Throughout the literature, health coaching has been found effective in chronic disease management such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of health coaching are limited. The current literature does not clearly demonstrate that health coaching lowers expenditures and patient copayments in the short term but projects future savings.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE

Health coaching has the potential to improve chronic disease management and lower health care expenditures. Further long-term research is needed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of health coaching. It has been projected that the cost-effectiveness of health coaching will be long-term or over 12 months after initiating the health coaching program.

Randomized trial to reduce emergency visits or hospital admissions using telephone coaching to complex patients

BACKGROUND

Comorbidity remains a matter of international interest, given growing prevalence of chronic conditions.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact that adding a telephone coaching intervention by a family physician to usual care has on reducing resource consumption and improving health status, caregiver burden and quality of life among complex chronic patients (CCP) compared with usual care.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial was conducted on a random sample of CCP from three primary care teams in Barcelona. Patients were randomly allocated into intervention or control groups. Evaluations were conducted at baseline and after six-month follow-up. Intervention patients were phoned twice a month by a family physician. Both groups received usual care. Primary endpoint was change in total number of urgent visits per patient. Secondary endpoints were changes in health and mental status, quality of life and caregiver burden.

RESULTS

Hundred and sixty-one CCP were included. During follow-up, 9 patients died and 2 were lost. At baseline, patients' characteristics and resource consumption were similar for both groups. After six months, urgent visits per patient decreased in intervention (1.27 baseline versus 0.89 follow-up, P = 0.091) and control (1.06 baseline versus 0.86 follow-up, P = 0.422) groups, mean difference 0.18 [confidence interval (CI) 95% -0.48 to 0.84]. Intervention patients improved in the physical component of the SF-12 questionnaire, while worsening in control patients, mean difference 4.71 (CI 95% -9.03 to -0.41). Differences were not found in the rest of the endpoints.

CONCLUSION

The intervention did not reduce urgent visits among CCP neither improved patient's health.

Enhancing mHealth Technology in the Patient-Centered Medical Home Environment to Activate Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Multisite Feasibility Study Protocol

BACKGROUND

The potential of mHealth technologies in the care of patients with diabetes and other chronic conditions has captured the attention of clinicians and researchers. Efforts to date have incorporated a variety of tools and techniques, including Web-based portals, short message service (SMS) text messaging, remote collection of biometric data, electronic coaching, electronic-based health education, secure email communication between visits, and electronic collection of lifestyle and quality-of-life surveys. Each of these tools, used alone or in combination, have demonstrated varying degrees of effectiveness. Some of the more promising results have been demonstrated using regular collection of biometric devices, SMS text messaging, secure email communication with clinical teams, and regular reporting of quality-of-life variables. In this study, we seek to incorporate several of the most promising mHealth capabilities in a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) workflow.

OBJECTIVE

We aim to address underlying technology needs and gaps related to the use of mHealth technology and the activation of patients living with type 2 diabetes. Stated differently, we enable supporting technologies while seeking to influence patient activation and self-care activities.

METHODS

This is a multisite phased study, conducted within the US Military Health System, that includes a user-centered design phase and a PCMH-based feasibility trial. In phase 1, we will assess both patient and provider preferences regarding the enhancement of the enabling technology capabilities for type 2 diabetes chronic care management. Phase 2 research will be a single-blinded 12-month feasibility study that incorporates randomization principles. Phase 2 research will seek to improve patient activation and self-care activities through the use of the Mobile Health Care Environment with tailored behavioral messaging. The primary outcome measure is the Patient Activation Measure scores. Secondary outcome measures are Summary of Diabetes Self-care Activities Measure scores, clinical measures, comorbid conditions, health services resource consumption, and technology system usage statistics.

RESULTS

We have completed phase 1 data collection. Formal analysis of phase 1 data has not been completed. We have obtained institutional review board approval and began phase 1 research in late fall 2016.

CONCLUSIONS

The study hypotheses suggest that patients can, and will, improve their activation in chronic care management. Improved activation should translate into improved diabetes self-care. Expected benefits of this research to the scientific community and health care services include improved understanding of how to leverage mHealth technology to activate patients living with type 2 diabetes in self-management behaviors. The research will shed light on implementation strategies in integrating mHealth into the clinical workflow of the PCMH setting.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02949037. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02949037. (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6oRyDzqei).

Effectiveness of Telephone-Based Health Coaching for Patients with Chronic Conditions: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background

Chronic diseases, like diabetes mellitus, heart disease and cancer are leading causes of death and disability. These conditions are at least partially preventable or modifiable, e.g. by enhancing patients’ self-management. We aimed to examine the effectiveness of telephone-based health coaching (TBHC) in chronically ill patients.

Methods and Findings

This prospective, pragmatic randomized controlled trial compares an intervention group (IG) of participants in TBHC to a control group (CG) without TBHC. Endpoints were assessed two years after enrolment. Three different groups of insurees with 1) multiple conditions (chronic campaign), 2) heart failure (heart failure campaign), or 3) chronic mental illness conditions (mental health campaign) were targeted. The telephone coaching included evidence-based information and was based on the concepts of motivational interviewing, shared decision-making, and collaborative goal setting. Patients received an average of 12.9 calls. Primary outcome was time from enrolment until hospital readmission within a two-year follow-up period. Secondary outcomes comprised the probability of hospital readmission, number of daily defined medication doses (DDD), frequency and duration of inability to work, and mortality within two years. All outcomes were collected from routine data provided by the statutory health insurance. As informed consent was obtained after randomization, propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize selection bias introduced by decliners. For the analysis of hospital readmission and mortality, we calculated Kaplan-Meier curves and estimated hazard ratios (HR). Probability of hospital readmission and probability of death were analysed by calculating odds ratios (OR). Quantity of health service use and inability to work were analysed by linear random effects regression models. PSM resulted in patient samples of 5,309 (IG: 2,713; CG: 2,596) in the chronic campaign, of 660 (IG: 338; CG: 322) in the heart failure campaign, and of 239 (IG: 101; KG: 138) in the mental health campaign. In none of the three campaigns, there were significant differences between IG and CG in time until hospital readmission. In the chronic campaign, the probability of hospital readmission was higher in the IG than in the CG (OR = 1.13; p = 0.045); no significant differences could be found for the other two campaigns. In the heart failure campaign, the IG showed a significantly reduced number of hospital admissions (-0.41; p = 0.012), although the corresponding reduction in the number of hospital days was not significant. In the chronic campaign, the IG showed significantly increased number of DDDs. Most striking, there were significant differences in mortality between IG and CG in the chronic campaign (OR = 0.64; p = 0.005) as well as in the heart failure campaign (OR = 0.44; p = 0.001).

Conclusions

While TBHC seems to reduce hospitalization only in specific patient groups, it may reduce mortality in patients with chronic somatic conditions. Further research should examine intervention effects in various subgroups of patients, for example for different diagnostic groups within the chronic campaign, or duration of coaching.

Trial Registration

German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00000584

Nurse perspectives on the implementation of routine telemonitoring for high-risk diabetes patients in a primary care setting

Aims The purpose of this qualitative evaluation was to explore the experience of implementing routine telemonitoring (TM) in real-world primary care settings from the perspective of those delivering the intervention; namely the TM staff, and report on lessons learned that could inform future projects of this type.

BACKGROUND

Routine TM for high-risk patients within primary care practices may help improve chronic disease control and reduce complications, including unnecessary hospital admissions. However, little is known about how to integrate routine TM in busy primary care practices. A TM pilot for diabetic patients was attempted in six primary care practices as part of the Beacon Community in Western New York.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of three TM agencies (n=8) participating in the pilot. Interviews were conducted over the phone or in person and lasted ~30 min. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Analysis was conducted using immersion-crystallization to identify themes. Findings TM staff revealed several themes related to the experience of delivering TM in real-world primary care: (1) the nurse-patient relationship is central to a successful TM experience, (2) TM is a useful tool for understanding socio-economic context and its impact on patients' health, (3) TM staff anecdotally report important potential impacts on patient health, and (4) integrating TM into primary care practices needs to be planned carefully.

CONCLUSIONS

This qualitative study identified challenges and unexpected benefits that might inform future efforts. Communication and integration between the TM agency and the practice, including the designation of a point person within the office to coordinate TM and help address the broader contextual needs of patients, are important considerations for future implementation. The role of the TM nurse in developing trust with patients and uncovering the social and economic context within which patients manage their diabetes was an unexpected benefit.

Mobile application as a prenatal education and engagement tool: A randomized controlled pilot

OBJECTIVES

Research has shown that mobile applications provide a powerful alternative to traditional paper diaries; however, little data exists in comparing apps to the traditional mode of paper as a patient education and engagement tool in the clinical setting. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of a mobile app versus a spiral-notebook guide throughout prenatal care.

METHODS

This randomized (n=173) controlled pilot was conducted at an East Coast community hospital. Chi-square and repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to test intervention effects in the sample of 127 pregnant mothers who completed their prenatal care in the healthcare system.

RESULTS

Patients who were distributed the mobile application used the tool to record information about pregnancy more frequently (p=.04) and developed greater patient activation (p=.02) than patients who were distributed notebooks. No difference was detected on interpersonal clinical communication.

CONCLUSION

A mobile application successfully activated a patient population in which self-management is a critical factor.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

This study shows that mobile apps can prompt greater use and result in more activated patients. Findings may be translated to other patient populations who receive recurring care for chronic disease.

Defining quality outcomes for complex-care patients transitioning across the continuum using a structured panel process

BACKGROUND

No standardised set of quality measures associated with transitioning complex-care patients across the various healthcare settings and home exists. In this context, a structured panel process was used to define quality measures for care transitions involving complex-care patients across healthcare settings.

METHODS

A modified Delphi consensus technique based on the RAND method was used to develop measures of quality care transitions across the continuum of care. Specific stages included a literature review, individual rating of each measure by each of the panelists (n=11), a face-to-face consensus meeting, and final ranking by the panelists.

RESULTS

The literature review produced an initial set of 119 measures. To advance to rounds 1 and 2, an aggregate rating of >75% of the measure was required. This analysis yielded 30/119 measures in round 1 and 11/30 measures in round 2. The final round of scoring yielded the following top five measures: (1) readmission rates within 30 days, (2) primary care visit within 7 days postdischarge for high-risk patients, (3) medication reconciliation completed at admission and prior to discharge, (4) readmission rates within 72 h and (5) time from discharge to homecare nursing visit for high-risk patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The five measures identified through this research may be useful as indicators of overall care quality related to care transitions involving complex-care patients across different healthcare settings. Further research efforts are called for to explore the applicability and feasibility of using the quality measures to drive quality improvement across the healthcare system.

Telephone-based health coaching for chronically ill patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

The rising prevalence of chronic conditions constitutes a major burden for patients and healthcare systems and is predicted to increase in the upcoming decades. Improving the self-management skills of patients is a strategy to steer against this burden. This could lead to better outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Health coaching is one method for enhancing the self-management of patients and can be delivered by phone. The effects of telephone-based health coaching are promising, but still inconclusive. Economic evaluations and studies examining the transferability of effects to different healthcare systems are still rare. Aim of this study is to evaluate telephone-based health coaching for chronically ill patients in Germany.

Methods/Design

The study is a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of telephone-based health coaching with usual care during a 4-year time period. Data are collected at baseline and after 12, 24 and 36 months. Patients are selected based on one of the following chronic conditions: diabetes, coronary artery disease, asthma, hypertension, heart failure, COPD, chronic depression or schizophrenia. The health coaching intervention is carried out by trained nurses employed by a German statutory health insurance. The frequency and the topics of the health coaching are manual-based but tailored to the patients’ needs and medical condition, following the concepts of motivational interviewing, shared decision-making and evidence-based-medicine. Approximately 12,000 insurants will be enrolled and randomized into intervention and control groups. Primary outcome is the time until hospital readmission within two years after enrolling in the health coaching, assessed by routine data. Secondary outcomes are patient-reported outcomes like changes in quality of life, depression and anxiety and clinical values assessed with questionnaires. Additional secondary outcomes are further economic evaluations like health service use as well as costs and hospital readmission rates. The statistical analyses includes intention-to-treat and as-treated principles. The recruitment will be completed in September 2014.

Discussion

This study will provide evidence regarding economic and clinical effects of telephone-delivered health coaching. Additionally, this study will show whether health coaching is an adequate option for the German healthcare system to address the growing burden of chronic diseases.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien; DRKS) DRKS00000584.

Improving chronic disease care by adding laypersons to the primary care team: a parallel randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Improving the quality and efficiency of chronic disease care is an important goal.

OBJECTIVE

To test whether patients with chronic disease working with lay "care guides" would achieve more evidence-based goals than those receiving usual care.

DESIGN

Parallel-group randomized trial, stratified by clinic and conducted from July 2010 to April 2012. Patients were assigned in a 2:1 ratio to a care guide or usual care. Patients, providers, and persons assessing outcomes were not blinded to treatment assignment. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01156974).

SETTING

6 primary care clinics in Minnesota.

PATIENTS

Adults with hypertension, diabetes, or heart failure.

INTERVENTION

2135 patients were given disease-specific information about standard care goals and asked to work toward goals for 1 year, with or without the help of a care guide. Care guides were 12 laypersons who received brief training about these diseases and behavior change.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary end point for each patient was change in percentage of goals met 1 year after enrollment.

RESULTS

The percentage of goals met increased in both the care guide and usual care groups (changes from baseline, 10.0% and 3.9%, respectively). Patients with care guides achieved more goals than usual care patients (82.6% vs. 79.1%; odds ratio, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.16 to 1.47]; P < 0.001); reduced unmet goals by 30.1% compared with 12.6% for usual care patients; and improved more than usual care patients in meeting several individual goals, including not using tobacco. Estimated cost was $286 per patient per year.

LIMITATIONS

Providers' usual care may have been influenced by contact with care guides. Last available data in the electronic health record were used to assess end points.

CONCLUSION

Adding care guides to the primary care team can improve care for some patients with chronic disease at low cost.

Effect of telephone health coaching (Birmingham OwnHealth) on hospital use and associated costs: cohort study with matched controls

OBJECTIVES

To test the effect of a telephone health coaching service (Birmingham OwnHealth) on hospital use and associated costs.

DESIGN

Analysis of person level administrative data. Difference-in-difference analysis was done relative to matched controls.

SETTING

Community based intervention operating in a large English city with industry.

PARTICIPANTS

2698 patients recruited from local general practices before 2009 with heart failure, coronary heart disease, diabetes, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and a history of inpatient or outpatient hospital use. These individuals were matched on a 1:1 basis to control patients from similar areas of England with respect to demographics, diagnoses of health conditions, previous hospital use, and a predictive risk score.

INTERVENTION

Telephone health coaching involved a personalised care plan and a series of outbound calls usually scheduled monthly. Median length of time enrolled on the service was 25.5 months. Control participants received usual healthcare in their areas, which did not include telephone health coaching.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Number of emergency hospital admissions per head over 12 months after enrolment. Secondary metrics calculated over 12 months were: hospital bed days, elective hospital admissions, outpatient attendances, and secondary care costs.

RESULTS

In relation to diagnoses of health conditions and other baseline variables, matched controls and intervention patients were similar before the date of enrolment. After this point, emergency admissions increased more quickly among intervention participants than matched controls (difference 0.05 admissions per head, 95% confidence interval 0.00 to 0.09, P=0.046). Outpatient attendances also increased more quickly in the intervention group (difference 0.37 attendances per head, 0.16 to 0.58, P<0.001), as did secondary care costs (difference £175 per head, £22 to £328, P=0.025). Checks showed that we were unlikely to have missed reductions in emergency admissions because of unobserved differences between intervention and matched control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The Birmingham OwnHealth telephone health coaching intervention did not lead to the expected reductions in hospital admissions or secondary care costs over 12 months, and could have led to increases.

Extending Physician ReACH: influencing patient activation and behavior through multichannel physician communication

OBJECTIVE

Despite evidence-based recommendations, physical activity as a self-management technique is underutilized. Many physical activity interventions require significant resources, ranging from repeated phone follow-up with nursing staff to intensive sessions with cooperating physical therapists. This intervention, Extending Physician ReACH (Relationship And Communication in Healthcare), examined physician to patient communication tactics for promoting walking exercise to patients with type 2 diabetes, using limited clinic time and financial resources.

METHODS

This was a single-site, six-month prospective intervention, which implemented theoretically driven, evidenced-based information factor strategies. Of the 128 volunteers who participated in the initial clinic visit, 67 patients with type 2 diabetes completed the six-month intervention.

RESULTS

Significant intervention effects were detected risk perception, social norms, and patient activation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study was designed to identify information factors that could affect physician success in motivating patients with type 2 diabetes to enact the ADA physical activity recommendations.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The success of this intervention models a strategy through which clinicians can reach beyond "one-shot" persuasion without placing onerous time and resource demands on physicians.

Exploring patient activation in the clinic: measurement from three perspectives

OBJECTIVE

To further conceptualize and operationalize patient activation (PA), using measures from patient, physician, and researcher perspectives.

DATA SOURCE/STUDY SETTING

Multimethod observation in 2010 within a family medicine clinic.

STUDY DESIGN

Part of an intervention with 130 patients with type 2 diabetes, this observational study further looked at PA in 19 physician-patient dyads. Data Collection. Observations occurred in a teaching hospital, which served as recruiting and study site.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

PA correlated with knowledge, self-efficacy, promotion orientation, and exercise intent. Patient-reported PA did not correlate with researcher-observed or physician-reported PA behavior. Researcher-observed PA correlated with physician-observation items.

CONCLUSIONS

Results provide evidence for measuring different perspectives in studies of PA. When patients report they are activated in self-management, behavior does not indicate they are active in clinical communication, a critical component of collaborative decision making.