Encephalitis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Headache, Meningitis, Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, Parkinsonism, Seizures, Spondylosis, Vestibular Disorder
Conditions
Keywords
clinical education
Brief summary
The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a personalized patient education program to the current hospital education and evaluate its impact using patient satisfaction scores. The investigators hypothesize that a personalized patient education intervention will increase patient's understanding of their diagnosis and satisfaction with the care as reflected in the survey results.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCurrent standard discharge educational intervention
The patients will receive the current hospital standard discharge educational material which explains the diagnosis, new medications, follow up and any activity/diet restrictions. A member of the study team will explain this material to the patient and answer any questions.
BEHAVIORALPersonalized discharge educational intervention
The patients will receive a new personalized discharge educational material which will explain the specifics of their disorder, the treatment, and prognosis. The materials will contain simple, organized explanations and graphics. A member of the study team will explain this material to the patient and answer any questions.
Sponsors
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Masking description
The patient will not be informed of whether he or she is receiving the current hospital standard or the new personalized patient education intervention. The study team member will known which intervention is being used for patient education. The intervention arm will not be blinded in the data analysis.
Intervention model description
Study team members will randomize patients to receive either the current standard hospital education material or the new personalized education material. Investigators will use a stratified randomization process to allocate the patients from different categories including age range, gender, and discharge diagnosis into each group. Thereby the investigators will achieve equal distribution of diagnoses and other demographics among groups in real time. They will review the two groups when performing statistical analysis near the end of the study to ensure heterogeneity of distribution. A study team member who has also been a member of the care team will use the either the current hospital standard or the new personalized education materials to explain the discharge diagnosis to the patient, the treatment, and the follow up needed. The study team member will also give a survey with a preaddressed envelope to each participant to complete at his or her convenience.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 95 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Over the age of 18 * Must have the capacity to consent and understand the study related activities and education materials.
Exclusion criteria
* Under the age of 18 * Have a condition that impairs the ability to understand the study, its risks, and appropriately consent for the study
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Patient satisfaction scores | Subjects will be expected to mail the feedback forms within 2 weeks of discharge. Investigators will mail a single reminder prepaid return mail with a copy of the questionnaire to patients who do not respond within this time allowing 1 month total time. | The patients will answer a survey consisting of seven multiple-choice questions regarding their perception of the education intervention. Each questions will be scored on a scale of one to four for a total possible score of 28 for all 7 questions. A score of 1 indicates a negative perception of the education whereas 4 indicates the most positive impression. Therefore the lowest possible score is 7 for a severely negative perception of the education and the highest score is 28 for a very positive impression of the education program. Only the total scores will be compared for statistical analysis. Scores from patients in the current standard and new personalized education intervention groups will be compared. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed