Clinical trial NCT05102656: Patient Perceptions of the Relational Empathy of Healthcare Practitioners From the Department of Emergency Medicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Official title: Patient Perceptions of the Relational Empathy of Healthcare Practitioners From the Department of Emergency Medicine During COVID-19: A Randomized, Controlled Trial Comparing In-Person Interaction With Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Versus Video Interaction Without PPE
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Conditions: COVID-19 Infection
Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Cell Neoplasm
Malignant Solid Neoplasm
Lead sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2021-11-01
Enrollment: 107
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Patients in the Department of Emergency Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Brief summary: 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.

Detailed 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.

Eligibility criteria: 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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Patients' perceptions of healthcare provider empathy
timeFrame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Houston
country: United States
facility: M D Anderson Cancer Center
state: Texas
Study officials:
affiliation: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
name: Kumar Alagappan
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: