Virtual Continuity and Its Impact on Complex Hospitalized Patients' Care

Completed · Phase 3

Conditions studied: Automated Communication Tools, Complex Medical Patients

In brief

Communication between physicians caring for a patient in the hospital and that patient's primary care provider is less than optimal, and can lead to diminished health care quality and safety. This project will lead to better communication between physicians and could decrease medication errors that tend to occur as the patient goes from hospital to home.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01397253

Run by

University of Pittsburgh

People needed

835

Starts

2010-08-01

Expected to finish

2013-01-01

Last updated by the study team

2015-04-16

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Are admitted to UPMC Presbyterian General Medicine, Geriatrics, Cardiology, or Surgery inpatient services;
• Are 18 years of age or older;
• Are currently receiving 5 or more medications;
• Have 2 or more comorbid conditions present, defined using the Elixhauser comorbidity system (Med Care 1998;36:8-27 and Med Care. 2005 Nov; 43(11): 1130-9 ). These comorbidities are: congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, valvular disease, pulmonary circulation disorders, peripheral vascular disorders, hypertension, paralysis, other neurologic disorders, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes uncomplicated, diabetes complicated, hypothyroidism, renal failure, liver disease, peptic ulcer disease excluding bleeding, AIDS/HIV disease, lymphoma, metastatic cancer, solid tumor without metastasis, rheumatoid arthritis/collagen vascular diseases, coagulopathy, obesity, weight loss, fluid and electrolyte disorders, blood loss anemia, deficiency anemias, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, psychoses, and depression
• Have a Primary Care Physician who has outpatient data included on EPIC electronic health record.

You may not qualify if…

• Are admitted to critical care units;
• Are admitted from skilled nursing facilities;
• Have dementia;
• Were previously enrolled in the study
• Are organ transplant recipients

Where it is running

• UPMC Presbyterian Hospital — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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