Effectiveness and Implementation of a Clinical Pain Management Dashboard for the NICU
1 de junio de 2026 actualizado por: Robert Flint, Erasmus Medical Center
A Hybrid Effectiveness-implementation Study on the Implementation of a Clinical Pain Management Dashboard for the NICU
This study protocol describes a type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study evaluating a clinical decision support dashboard for neonatal pain management in a tertiary NICU.
Using a pre- and post-implementation design, the study assesses whether the dashboard reduces the duration of inadequately managed neonatal discomfort during the first seven days of admission, while concurrently evaluating implementation outcomes such as acceptability, appropriateness, fidelity, and penetration.
Quantitative EHR- and dashboard-derived data are complemented by qualitative interviews and observations to provide a comprehensive evaluation of both clinical impact and implementation processes.
Descripción general del estudio
Estado
Activo, no reclutando
Condiciones
Intervención / Tratamiento
Descripción detallada
This protocol outlines a single-center, type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study evaluating an in-house developed clinical decision support dashboard designed to optimize pain management in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The study is conducted at a level III-IV NICU and follows a pre-implementation (retrospective), mid-implementation, buffer, and post-implementation (prospective) design over approximately 26 months.
The primary effectiveness objective is to determine whether implementation of the dashboard reduces the duration of inadequately managed neonatal discomfort during the first seven days of admission. Discomfort is operationalized as the cumulative duration a neonate is classified as "red" by the dashboard prioritization algorithm, indicating the need for immediate clinical attention. Pre-implementation "red" classifications are generated retrospectively from electronic health record data using the same algorithmic criteria applied prospectively post-implementation.
The secondary objective is to evaluate the implementation process of the dashboard within routine NICU workflows. Implementation outcomes, based on the framework of Proctor et al., include acceptability, appropriateness, fidelity (implementation and effectiveness), and penetration. These outcomes are assessed using a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative measures such as dashboard use metrics, prescribing patterns, and timing of pain assessments with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and observations involving healthcare professionals and parents.
The comfort-dashboard is implemented using a phased ward-based approach supported by targeted training, local champions, and ongoing facilitation. The study poses minimal risk, as the dashboard supports but does not replace clinical decision-making, and no changes are made to core algorithm logic or outcome definitions during the study. By integrating effectiveness and implementation evaluations, this protocol aims to generate clinically relevant evidence while supporting reproducibility, transparency, and future scalability of digital decision support tools in neonatal care.
Tipo de estudio
Intervencionista
Inscripción (Estimado)
1250
Fase
- No aplica
Contactos y Ubicaciones
Esta sección proporciona los datos de contacto de quienes realizan el estudio e información sobre dónde se lleva a cabo este estudio.
Ubicaciones de estudio
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Rotterdam, Países Bajos
- Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's hospital
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Criterios de participación
Los investigadores buscan personas que se ajusten a una determinada descripción, denominada criterio de elegibilidad. Algunos ejemplos de estos criterios son el estado de salud general de una persona o tratamientos previos.
Criterio de elegibilidad
Edades elegibles para estudiar
- Niño
- Adulto
- Adulto Mayor
Acepta Voluntarios Saludables
Sí
Descripción
Inclusion Criteria:
Primary endpoint - Effectiveness evaluation (neonates):
- Admitted to the NICU of Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital during either the pre-implementation or post-implementation phase
- Admitted and discharged during the respective phase
- Parental consent for use of medical information provided upon admission
Secondary endpoints - Implementation process evaluation (healthcare professionals):
- Physician, nurse, or nurse specialist working in the NICU during the study period who has been exposed to TMD-C
- Management staff who has been exposed to TMD-C
Secondary endpoints - Implementation process evaluation (parents):
- Parent or guardian of an included neonate who was exposed to the dashboard during the samenzorgvisite (family-integrated ward round)
Primary endpoint - Effectiveness evaluation (neonates):
- Readmitted to the NICU during the same study phase
- Admitted to the NICU for less than 24 hours
- Discharged or transferred before 7 days of admission without complete pain management data available
Secondary endpoints - Implementation process evaluation:
- None
Plan de estudios
Esta sección proporciona detalles del plan de estudio, incluido cómo está diseñado el estudio y qué mide el estudio.
¿Cómo está diseñado el estudio?
Detalles de diseño
- Propósito principal: Otro
- Asignación: No aleatorizado
- Modelo Intervencionista: Asignación paralela
- Enmascaramiento: Ninguno (etiqueta abierta)
Armas e Intervenciones
Grupo de participantes/brazo |
Intervención / Tratamiento |
|---|---|
|
Sin intervención: Pre-implementation group (patients)
neonates admitted to the NICU BEFORE implementation of the dashboard.
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Experimental: Post-implementation group (patients)
neonates admitted to the NICU AFTER implementation of the dashboard.
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The comfort-dashboard designed to assist healthcare professionals in managing neonatal pain within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The software aggregates and visualizes patient-specific data from connected systems, providing near-real-time metrics, patient prioritization, and clinical decision support.
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Otro: Interviews - parents/guardians
Parents/guardians of patients admitted to the NICU during the post-implementation period.
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The comfort-dashboard designed to assist healthcare professionals in managing neonatal pain within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The software aggregates and visualizes patient-specific data from connected systems, providing near-real-time metrics, patient prioritization, and clinical decision support.
|
|
Otro: Interviews/observations - Healthcare professionals.
The healthcare professionals involved in the care of neonates AFTER implementation of the dashboard.
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The comfort-dashboard designed to assist healthcare professionals in managing neonatal pain within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The software aggregates and visualizes patient-specific data from connected systems, providing near-real-time metrics, patient prioritization, and clinical decision support.
|
¿Qué mide el estudio?
Medidas de resultado primarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
|---|---|---|
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Main study parameter/endpoint - Effectiveness evaluation
Periodo de tiempo: Days 1-7 of NICU admission, assessed through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live, November 2026).
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For the primary aim of our study, we will assess the effectiveness of the dashboard in improving the comfort of patients admitted to the NICU, defined by the difference in the duration of inadequately managed discomfort in neonates during the first seven days of admission.
Here, the duration of inadequately managed discomfort is measured by the duration a patient has a 'red' status, as classified by the classification algorithm.
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Days 1-7 of NICU admission, assessed through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live, November 2026).
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Medidas de resultado secundarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
|---|---|---|
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System Usability Scale (SUS) score among healthcare professionals
Periodo de tiempo: At 6 months post go-live (week 32-35)
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The SUS is a 10-item standardized questionnaire administered to healthcare professionals.
Each item is rated 1-5.
Odd-numbered item scores are reversed; all scores are summed and multiplied by 2.5 to yield a normalized score (range 0-100; higher = better usability).
The SUS score is interpreted as a percentile rank.
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At 6 months post go-live (week 32-35)
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Qualitative assessment of acceptability of the dashboard among healthcare professionals and parents
Periodo de tiempo: At 6 months post go-live (week 32-35)
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Semi-structured interviews exploring perceived barriers and facilitators to implementation, usefulness, ease of use, and overall satisfaction with TMD-C, conducted with healthcare professionals and parents.
Analysis uses direct content analysis guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).
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At 6 months post go-live (week 32-35)
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Qualitative assessment of appropriateness of the implementation strategies within NICU workflows
Periodo de tiempo: Through study completion, ~13 months
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Perceived fit, relevance, and compatibility of the chosen implementation strategies, assessed through semi-structured interviews and systematic observations with healthcare professionals, analyzed using CFIR constructs.
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Through study completion, ~13 months
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Proportion of healthcare professionals attending training sessions (%)
Periodo de tiempo: Weeks 0-7 (mid-implementation phase)
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Implementation fidelity measure: the proportion of healthcare professionals working in the NICU during the study period who attended at least one TMD-C training session.
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Weeks 0-7 (mid-implementation phase)
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Use of loading doses at therapy initiation and dose-escalation (n; %)
Periodo de tiempo: Days 1-7 of admission through study completion, ~13 months
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The difference in the proportion of therapy initiations and dose-escalation events accompanied by a loading dose within the protocol-specified timeframe, comparing pre- and post-implementation phases, stratified by moment (initiation vs. escalation).
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Days 1-7 of admission through study completion, ~13 months
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Continuous infusion duration in patients without discomfort (minutes)
Periodo de tiempo: Days 1-7 of admission, through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live)
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The difference in the duration of continuous analgesic infusion in neonates classified as not experiencing discomfort, comparing pre- and post-implementation phases, stratified by drug and relevant patient characteristics.
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Days 1-7 of admission, through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live)
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Dose-escalation titration step size (mg/kg/hr)
Periodo de tiempo: Days 1-7 of admission, through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live)
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The difference in starting dosage and height of subsequent dose escalation steps surrounding dose-escalation events, comparing pre- and post-implementation phases, stratified by drug and relevant patient characteristics.
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Days 1-7 of admission, through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live)
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Duration of oversedation (minutes)
Periodo de tiempo: Days 1-7 of admission, through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live)
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The difference in the cumulative duration a patient is classified as oversedated, comparing pre- and post-implementation phases.
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Days 1-7 of admission, through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live)
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Proportion of timely pain measurements following key therapy events (%)
Periodo de tiempo: Days 1-7 of admission, through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live)
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The difference in the proportion of pain measurements conducted within the protocol-specified timeframe after therapy initiation, dose-escalation, dose-decrease, and therapy discontinuation, comparing pre- and post-implementation phases, stratified by relevant patient characteristics.
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Days 1-7 of admission, through study completion (approximately 13 months post go-live)
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Number of dashboard accesses per morning round (n)
Periodo de tiempo: Through study completion, approximately 13 months post go-live
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The frequency of TMD-C access during morning rounds, used as a measure of penetration - the extent to which dashboard use has become part of routine NICU workflow.
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Through study completion, approximately 13 months post go-live
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Otras medidas de resultado
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
|---|---|---|
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Sex distribution of included neonates (n; %)
Periodo de tiempo: Through study completion, ~ 13 months
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Descriptive statistic for included neonates.
Reported for both pre- and post-implementation cohorts.
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Through study completion, ~ 13 months
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Birth weight of included neonates (grams)
Periodo de tiempo: Through study completion, ~ 13 months
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Descriptive statistic for included neonates.
Expressed as mean (±SD) or median (±IQR) depending on data distribution.
Reported for both pre- and post-implementation cohorts.
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Through study completion, ~ 13 months
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Gestational age of included neonates (weeks)
Periodo de tiempo: Through study completion, ~ 13 months
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Descriptive statistic for included neonates.
Expressed as mean (±SD) or median (±IQR) depending on data distribution.
Reported for both pre- and post-implementation cohorts.
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Through study completion, ~ 13 months
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Profession of healthcare professionals (n; %)
Periodo de tiempo: Through study completion, ~ 13 months
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Descriptive statistic for healthcare professionals participating in the implementation evaluation.
Categories include physician, nurse, nurse specialist, and management.
Reported for the post-implementation cohort.
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Through study completion, ~ 13 months
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Years of clinical experience of healthcare professionals (years)
Periodo de tiempo: Through study completion, ~ 13 months
|
Descriptive statistic for healthcare professionals.
Expressed as mean (±SD) or median (±IQR) depending on data distribution.
Reported for the post-implementation cohort.
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Through study completion, ~ 13 months
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Colaboradores e Investigadores
Aquí es donde encontrará personas y organizaciones involucradas en este estudio.
Patrocinador
Fechas de registro del estudio
Estas fechas rastrean el progreso del registro del estudio y los envíos de resultados resumidos a ClinicalTrials.gov. Los registros del estudio y los resultados informados son revisados por la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina (NLM) para asegurarse de que cumplan con los estándares de control de calidad específicos antes de publicarlos en el sitio web público.
Fechas importantes del estudio
Inicio del estudio (Actual)
1 de octubre de 2025
Finalización primaria (Estimado)
30 de noviembre de 2026
Finalización del estudio (Estimado)
30 de noviembre de 2026
Fechas de registro del estudio
Enviado por primera vez
7 de abril de 2026
Primero enviado que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
1 de junio de 2026
Publicado por primera vez (Actual)
5 de junio de 2026
Actualizaciones de registros de estudio
Última actualización publicada (Actual)
5 de junio de 2026
Última actualización enviada que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
1 de junio de 2026
Última verificación
1 de junio de 2026
Más información
Términos relacionados con este estudio
Palabras clave
Términos MeSH relevantes adicionales
Otros números de identificación del estudio
- MEC-2025-0045
Plan de datos de participantes individuales (IPD)
¿Planea compartir datos de participantes individuales (IPD)?
NO
Descripción del plan IPD
Individual participant data will not be proactively shared at this stage.
Sharing will be reconsidered after study completion and publication.
Requests for de-identified data may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the principal investigator.
Información sobre medicamentos y dispositivos, documentos del estudio
Estudia un producto farmacéutico regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
No
Estudia un producto de dispositivo regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
No
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