search
Back to results

Telemedicine in Spina Bifida Transition: A Pilot Study

Primary Purpose

Spina Bifida

Status
Completed
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
United States
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Intervention group
Standard of care group
Sponsored by
University of Alabama at Birmingham
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional health services research trial for Spina Bifida focused on measuring Transition to adult care, Telemedicine, Myelomeningocele

Eligibility Criteria

13 Years - 25 Years (Child, Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients >= 13 years with a diagnosis of spina bifida who are currently seen through the Children's of Alabama Multidisciplinary Spina Bifida Clinic

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients without access to the internet.

Sites / Locations

  • University of Alabama at Birmingham

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Experimental

Active Comparator

Arm Label

Intervention group

Standard of care group

Arm Description

The intervention group will participate in face-to-face video telemedicine visits, in addition to routine annual visits to the Spina Bifida Clinic. These 30-minute visits will occur at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 9 months from last in-person clinic appointment. The visits will consist of structured counseling using a plan-do-study-act cycle approach to incrementally adopt elements of a well-planned transition. Using qualitative notes from each session, we will identify common themes or challenges across patients and develop adjunctive education, support, and monitoring tools for patients and families in transition.

The control group will receive the current standard of care transition program. In addition to this, they will receive encouraging text messages and e-mails relating to their transition goals. These messages will be sent 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 9 months from the last in-person clinic appointment.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Transition preparedness
Transition preparedness will be assessed using Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ), a validated, patient-centered questionnaire. Each item is scored 1-5, with 1 being assigned for responses of "No, I do not know how"(not ready for transition) and a score of 5 assigned for responses of "Yes, I always do this when I need to."(ready for transition).
Health-related quality of life
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) will be assessed using the generic Pediatric Quality of Life InventoryTM (PedsQLTM). 0-100 scale, the higher scores indicate better quality of life.
Improvement in bowel management
Spina bifida-specific Quality of Life Assessment in Spina Bifida for Children (QUALAS-C) (a measure of bowel and bladder-related HRQoL). QUALAS-T is scored 0-100, where higher values signify higher HRQOL.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Healthcare utilization
Number of hospitalizations; ER and clinic visits.
Health care related cost
We will track number of hospitalizations, ER and clinic visits as related to cost. The goal is to reduce these visits.

Full Information

First Posted
March 9, 2018
Last Updated
October 19, 2021
Sponsor
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Collaborators
Children's of Alabama
search

1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT03466996
Brief Title
Telemedicine in Spina Bifida Transition: A Pilot Study
Official Title
Telemedicine in Spina Bifida Transition: A Pilot Study
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
October 2021
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
June 1, 2018 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
September 1, 2020 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
September 1, 2021 (Actual)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Principal Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Collaborators
Children's of Alabama

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
Yes

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility and efficacy of using telemedicine to improve transition from pediatric to adult care in patients with spina bifida.
Detailed Description
After enrollment, patients will be randomly assigned to either the control or intervention group. Randomization will be performed using computer software with 1:1 group allocation. We anticipate 26 participants in each group. The control group will receive the current standard of care transition program which includes goal-setting at their annual Multidisciplinary Spina Bifida Clinic visit. Additionally, they will receive encouragement e-mail and text messages. These messages will be sent at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months from last in-person appointment. The intervention group will participate in face-to-face video telemedicine visits, in addition to routine yearly visits to the Spina Bifida Clinic. These 30-minute visits will occur at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 9 months from last in-person clinic appointment. The visits will consist of structured counseling using a plan-do-study-act cycle approach to incrementally adopt elements of a well-planned transition. Using qualitative notes from each session, I hypothesize that I will be able to identify common themes or challenges across patients and develop adjunctive education, support, and monitoring tools for patients and families in transition. I will collaborate with experts from orthopedic surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, urology, neurosurgery, nutrition, and psychology to develop content for educational tools.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Spina Bifida
Keywords
Transition to adult care, Telemedicine, Myelomeningocele

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Health Services Research
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
24 (Actual)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Intervention group
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
The intervention group will participate in face-to-face video telemedicine visits, in addition to routine annual visits to the Spina Bifida Clinic. These 30-minute visits will occur at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 9 months from last in-person clinic appointment. The visits will consist of structured counseling using a plan-do-study-act cycle approach to incrementally adopt elements of a well-planned transition. Using qualitative notes from each session, we will identify common themes or challenges across patients and develop adjunctive education, support, and monitoring tools for patients and families in transition.
Arm Title
Standard of care group
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
The control group will receive the current standard of care transition program. In addition to this, they will receive encouraging text messages and e-mails relating to their transition goals. These messages will be sent 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 9 months from the last in-person clinic appointment.
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Intervention group
Other Intervention Name(s)
Telemedicine group
Intervention Description
More frequent follow up with face to face interaction.
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Standard of care group
Intervention Description
Transition goal setting during annual follow up.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Transition preparedness
Description
Transition preparedness will be assessed using Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ), a validated, patient-centered questionnaire. Each item is scored 1-5, with 1 being assigned for responses of "No, I do not know how"(not ready for transition) and a score of 5 assigned for responses of "Yes, I always do this when I need to."(ready for transition).
Time Frame
Baseline to 12 months
Title
Health-related quality of life
Description
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) will be assessed using the generic Pediatric Quality of Life InventoryTM (PedsQLTM). 0-100 scale, the higher scores indicate better quality of life.
Time Frame
Baseline to 12 months
Title
Improvement in bowel management
Description
Spina bifida-specific Quality of Life Assessment in Spina Bifida for Children (QUALAS-C) (a measure of bowel and bladder-related HRQoL). QUALAS-T is scored 0-100, where higher values signify higher HRQOL.
Time Frame
Baseline to 12 months
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Healthcare utilization
Description
Number of hospitalizations; ER and clinic visits.
Time Frame
Baseline to 24 months
Title
Health care related cost
Description
We will track number of hospitalizations, ER and clinic visits as related to cost. The goal is to reduce these visits.
Time Frame
Baseline to 24 months

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
13 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
25 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Patients >= 13 years with a diagnosis of spina bifida who are currently seen through the Children's of Alabama Multidisciplinary Spina Bifida Clinic Exclusion Criteria: Patients without access to the internet.
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Elizabeth Kuhn, MD
Organizational Affiliation
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
University of Alabama at Birmingham
City
Birmingham
State/Province
Alabama
ZIP/Postal Code
35294
Country
United States

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Learn more about this trial

Telemedicine in Spina Bifida Transition: A Pilot Study

We'll reach out to this number within 24 hrs