Initial Test of the Time to Talk CARDIO (Creating a Real Dialogue In the Office) Program

Beta Test of the Time to Talk CARDIO (Creating a Real Dialogue In the Office) Web-based Tool for Improving Communication Between Patients and Health Care Professionals

This research focuses on communication practices between patients and health care professionals, like nurses, doctors, or physician assistants. The goal is to help improve communication about heart health issues.

This pilot (or Beta) study is designed to test our ability to recruit an appropriate sample of participants, and determine our ability to deliver and evaluate the effects of a web-based intervention. The investigators hypothesize that exposure to the intervention will result in measurable changes in self-reported knowledge, attitudes and behavior regarding communication between patients and health care professionals.

Participants in this research study are being recruited from the people who currently receive care at the Richmond Family Health Center of the Oregon Health & Science University. People who participate in this study will be between 55 and 70 years old, speak English as their preferred language, and have one of several possible diagnoses related to heart health. These could include, for example, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, or obesity.

Additionally, the investigators are recruiting a small number of health care professionals from the Richmond Family Health Center. Their participation will be similar to but separate from the participation of patients.

All participants will take two web-based surveys. Some participants will use a web-based tool that hopes to help improve communication between health care professionals and patients.

The surveys contain questions that explore the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of participants related to heart health and communication between health care professionals and patients.

Data analysis will focus upon identifying any changes that occurred in knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors with respect to health communication after using the web-based tool, as well as learning about what influences the quality and nature of communication between health care professionals and the patients they serve.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cardiovascular Disease; Cardiovascular Risk Factors
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Time to Talk CARDIO website

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 105
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Oregon
    • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97202
      • Richmond Family Health Center at Oregon Health & Science University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 55 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 55-70 years
• English is preferred language
• Has one or more chronic cardiovascular-related diagnosis or risk factor
• Has an appointment with Primary Care provider within 2 weeks of enrollment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inadequate vision or hearing to complete on-line assessment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Web-based communication tool for health care professionals	Device: Time to Talk CARDIO website; This interactive web-based training device involves the completion of a brief survey regarding communication experiences between patients and health care professionals. The pattern of responses to the survey generates a personalized set of short instructional videos which demonstrate effective communication skills.
Experimental: Web-based communication training tool for patients	Device: Time to Talk CARDIO website; This interactive web-based training device involves the completion of a brief survey regarding communication experiences between patients and health care professionals. The pattern of responses to the survey generates a personalized set of short instructional videos which demonstrate effective communication skills.
No Intervention: Usual care for patient participants

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Interpersonal communication knowledge, attitudes and behaviors exhibeted by patients and health care professionals during a patient-provider office visit	2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Patient and health care professional satisfaction with communication	2 weeks
Change in patient average blood pressure	6 months
Change in serum hemoglobin A1c value among patients with diabetes	6 months
change in average appointment length for health care professionals	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Oregon Health and Science University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Clifford A Coleman, MD, MPH, Oregon Health and Science University; Study Director: Andrew F Pleasant, Ph.D., Canyon Ranch Institute

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2009
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 23, 2009
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 23, 2009
• First Posted (Estimate): September 24, 2009

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): October 16, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 14, 2015
• Last Verified: October 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Patient; Satisfaction; Health literacy; Health communication; Health Care Professional
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cardiovascular Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: OHSU00005635