Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Patient Buddy Mobile Health App to Prevent Unavoidable Readmission, Improve HRQOL and Prevent Hospitalizations in Patients with Cirrhosis

Overview

About this study

The study plans to follow three groups of cirrhotic patients from the time of hospital dismissal randomly divided into either receiving standard of care, using devices through which they can communicate with the clinical teams and using devices and structured follow-up over thirty days. The study aims to develop these devices so as to learn quickly about issues that patients and their caregivers are facing so that clinicans can intervene to stop unnecessary re-hospitalizations in this population.

Participation eligibility

Participant eligibility includes age, gender, type and stage of disease, and previous treatments or health concerns. Guidelines differ from study to study, and identify who can or cannot participate. There is no guarantee that every individual who qualifies and wants to participate in a trial will be enrolled. Contact the study team to discuss study eligibility and potential participation.

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients:

  • Patients ≥ 21  years of age hospitalized for non-elective reasons for complications of cirrhosis.
  • Adult caregiver and the patient living in the same house or the caregiver may include a consistent person involved in and/or familiar with the patient’s health and routine subject to investigator approval.
  • Able to complete the Patient Buddy training and evaluation.
  • Discharged home from the hospital.
  • Patients who have the discharge hospital as a primary hospital base.

Caregivers:

  • Living in same dwelling as patient for the last ≥ 1 year.
  • Able to complete the Patient Buddy training and evaluation.
  • Familiar with the patient’s routines.

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients:

  • Elective hospitalization.
  • Lack of an adult caregiver.
  • Active substance abuse within 1 month of the hospitalization (alcohol use is acceptable provided the patient does not have alcoholic hepatitis during this admission or < 1 month prior to admission).
  • Unable to perform training or give consent.
  • Patients discharged to hospice, nursing home or extended care facilities.

Caregivers:

  • Unable or unwilling to train or adhere to study guidelines.
  • Unfamiliar with the patient routines or not in the same house as the patient.

Eligibility last updated 6/8/22. Questions regarding updates should be directed to the study team contact.

 

Participating Mayo Clinic locations

Study statuses change often. Please contact the study team for the most up-to-date information regarding possible participation.

Mayo Clinic Location Status Contact

Rochester, Minn.

Mayo Clinic principal investigator

Patrick Kamath, M.D.

Closed for enrollment

Contact information:

Amy Olofson R.N.

(507) 284-2638

Olofson.Amy@mayo.edu

More information

Publications

Publications are currently not available