Clinical trial NCT06841081: Super-Supporters - Virtual Care Technology Navigators
Official title: Super-Supporters - Specially Trained Staff to Facilitate Virtual Care for Vulnerable Patients and Family Caregivers: A Real-world Implementation and Evaluation Across North and South Carolina
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Telemedicine
Keywords: virtual health
virtual telehealth
telemedicine
Lead sponsor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-02-24
Enrollment: 1111
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: The study design is a randomized implementation of the quality improvement program, the "Super-Supporter" program, with post-implementation evaluation using patient assessments (24 hour survey and six month survey). Investigators will use a randomization protocol especially suited to comparison of a best standard compared with an enhanced intervention: the Zelen protocol. In this protocol, randomization occurs prior to calling patients and enrolling them in the evaluation. A cluster-randomized design will be used with 1-week intervals as the randomization cluster. All patients called within a given week will be randomized to the same group. Allocation of weeks to group will be determined by a block-randomization table establish prior to trial initiation.
Primary purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Brief summary: The Super-Supporter Program is designed to provide pre-visit support to patients who are at risk of not being able to participate in Virtual Care modalities (specifically, Clinical Video Visits). Patient technology navigators (Super-Supporters) will reach out before video visits and help the patient connect more easily and successfully with their providers in Virtual Care appointments.

Detailed description: The Super Supporter Technology Navigator Program was designed to support patients, across the health system, to connect more easily and successfully with their providers in Virtual Care appointments. Super Supporters call patients in advance of Virtual Care appointments to remind them of their appointment, ensure that they have a device on which to conduct the appointment, set up the device for a successful Virtual Care appointment, help them set up and log into their patient portal account, and practice connecting with their provider using a practice virtual video visit. This research study is designed to determine differences in connection rate, patient reported health, patient access and responses to a healthcare climate questionnaire by comparing those helped by a Super Supporter and those supported by an Enhanced Usual Care program.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Scheduled for a video visit with a provider at Atrium Health (all locations)
* Identified as at risk of a failed video visit using criteria (1) a failed prior video visit (a discrete data field noting a prior visit was unsuccessful or converted to telephone-only visit), or 2) no prior access to the Electronic Health Record-connected patient portal

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patient plans to change visit to in-person or telephone only
* Patient declines assistance from the Super-Supporter program.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Rate of Successful Video Visits
timeFrame: Up to Week 3
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Health Care Climate Questionnaire (HCCQ)
timeFrame: Month 6
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Charlotte
country: United States
facility: Atrium Health
state: North Carolina
city: Winston-Salem
country: United States
facility: Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
state: North Carolina
Study officials:
affiliation: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
name: Thomas Houston, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: