Space and Interaction Trial: Room Design and Patient-physician Interaction

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to improve the clinical encounter through the design of the clinical environment. We will conduct a randomized controlled trial to measure the extent to which a newly designed clinical room, compared to a traditional room, affects the patient-physician interaction. We will judge this outcome by (a) videotaping encounters; and (b) conducting post-visit surveys with patients and an interview with physicians. We will use both qualitative and quantitative tools, including a validated and widely used interaction coding system on the videotapes, to draw inferences from these data.

Official Title
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SIT Trial: The Effect of Clinical Room Design on the Quality of the Clinical Encounter

Conditions
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Internal Medicine Patients, Participating Staff

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Re-designed room
* Other: Control room


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Eligible Clinicians: In the Department of GIM or Preventive Medicine Able and Willing to participate in research study. Eligible patients: Patient of a clinician participating in the study 18 years or older Seeing clinician for return/summary visit. Exclusion Criteria: 1.) Not able to give informed consent.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Usual room<br>Patients in this arm will see their clinician in the usual clinical exam room | Other: Control room<br>* This is the usual clinical room for a clinical visit, with physician at desk and chairs along the wall for patient/family.<br>|
| Experimental: Re-designed room<br>Patients assigned to this arm will see the physician in a redesigned clinical exam room | Other: Re-designed room<br>* In the redesigned room patients and clinicians are sitting at a single table in a different configuration compared to the usual clinical exam room, with the doctor at the computer and two chairs for the patient and family/friends.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Patient and Clinician Interaction variables (duration of the encounter, patient sense of control in encounter, patient's ability to access information from the computer monitor and the quality of the verbal and non-verbal interaction). |  | Immediately post clinical visit (survey) | 
| Patient experience of the clinical encounter. The following variables will be measured: patient satisfaction with the room, patient satisfaction with the encounter and the quality of the relationship. |  | Immediately post visit | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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effects clinical space, follow-up appointments