Cost-Effectiveness of Web-Based Follow Ups

February 6, 2013 updated by: Dianne Bryant, University of Western Ontario, Canada

Cost-Effectiveness of Web-Based Follow Up Following Total Joint Arthroplasty

Complications following total joint arthroplasty are rare, and the majority of follow-up visits are routine. The technology now exists to conduct annual follow-up assessments without having to physically see the patient.

This study will investigate the cost-effectiveness of web-based follow-up assessments compared to standard in-clinic follow-ups. We will also assess patient satisfaction, preference, and the validity of the web-based follow up assessments. Patients coming up to their 1 year follow-up or greater will be randomized to either the web-based group or the usual care group.

Web-based patients will complete all questionnaires using an online database system, and have their x-ray taken at their local radiology facility. The surgeon will review radiographs online. If there are any concerns with the x-ray or responses to questionnaires, arrangements will be made for the patient to be seen at the clinic. Patients in the Usual Care group will come into the clinic for their follow-up assessment and have their x-ray taken at University Hospital as usual.

Online assessment could significantly decrease wait times in orthopaedic clinics, as well as increase availability for OR time and new consultations. This approach could also potentially reduce patient burden by decreasing travel distances, financial burden and time requirements.

Study Overview

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

260

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Ontario
      • London, Ontario, Canada, N6G 1H1
        • London Health Sciences Centre - University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • patients who have had a primary total hip or total knee arthroplasty

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients with osteolysis, or previous complications from their joint replacement

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: web-based
The patient will undergo xrays at the closest PACs enabled imaging centre and will login and answer questions online. The surgeon will review the images and patient responses and determine whether the patient needs to be seen more urgently or a per routine.
Patients who are at least 2 years following knee or hip replacement will complete a questionnaire online and routine x-rays at a PACS enabled imaging center. The patient's surgeon will receive an email from the database summarizing the patient's responses to key questions and will review the x-rays. The surgeon will determine whether the patient needs to be seen in-person.
Active Comparator: in-person
Patients will attend their follow-up appointments in-person as per usual
Follow-up appointments will be completed in-person as per usual

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Cost-effectiveness
Time Frame: one year
one year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Adverse events
Time Frame: one year
one year
Harris Hip Score
Time Frame: one year
one year
Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC)
Time Frame: one year
one year
SF-12
Time Frame: one year
one year

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

February 1, 2010

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2011

Study Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 1, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 2, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

March 3, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

February 7, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 6, 2013

Last Verified

February 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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