Multimorbidity Management Supported by a Digital Platform

Sponsor
Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Study ID
NCT05593835
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Chronic Disease

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
50 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • METHIS Platform — DEVICE
    The METHIS platform is a digital healthcare platform, supported by three databases using PostreSQL (based in relational SQL). One of the databases allows adequate internal testing before production. Another database of production (secured with unique access codes) will be created to retrieve data from the practices' and the last database for the research data, where pseudonymised production data can be analysed for research purposes. The platform is integrated (via FCCN Scientific Computation Unit of the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) with the Software Zoom® to allow encrypted teleconsultations, with a guarantee that each patient connection is unique. The digital platform is web-based, and it can be used in multiple devices.
  • Goal-Oriented Care Training Program — OTHER
    The training program will have three stages: initial face-to-face training, which will happen before the data collection, followed by remote, asynchronous training during a 12-month period, and a final seminar to discuss the results and inquire about the usability of the GOC model and the METHIS platform. The course will be offered to the intervention group one month before the start of patient recruitment, and for the control group at least one month after the end of data collection.

Study Details

This study aims to assess whether the use of the METHIS digital platform using a patient-centered approach contributes to an improvement in the quality of life, mental health and physical activity of patients with multimorbidity followed up in Primary Health Care. Practices will be randomly allocated between: providing access to consultations through the METHIS platform (intervention) or following patients by the traditional method (control). They will complete questionnaires on quality of life, mental health and report the number of steps taken, at the beginning and end of the study.

Key Dates

First listed
Oct 25, 2022
Start date
Jun 1, 2025
Status verified
Nov 2023
Primary completion
Jan 30, 2026
Completion
May 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
1,380 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Arms

  • Experimental: METHIS Intervention
    The METHIS intervention will consist of two components. The first component is a Goal-Oriented Care (GOC) Training Program for health professionals. The training program will include the concept of personalised care, methods of goal elation, implications of GOC in healthcare practice, and how METHIS platform can be used to support the application of GOC. The training will be implemented through a blended-learning, continuous education program that will be credited by Nova University of Lisbon. The second component is a GOC information system. This will be the digital platform METHIS, which will be designed to nudge clinicians to adopt a GOC and to encourage patients and caregivers to take an active role in healthcare. The investigators will adapt an existing platform that was developed for a pilot study during the COVID-19 pandemic, that promotes care coordination, optimises disease prioritisation, and patient self-management.
  • No Intervention: Control
    The control group in this trial will be the best usual care, using the standard Electronic Health Records available to the practice. Our understanding of what "best usual care" is for people with multimorbidity is informed by qualitative research in an earlier stage of this project. Our results suggest that healthcare professionals often provide disease-driven care. When faced with multiple healthcare problems, they prioritise based on 1) patient complaints; 2) which condition is less well controlled; or 3) which condition is more likely to adversely impact on patient Health Related-Quality of life. General practitioners and primary care nurses are often not familiar with the Goal-Oriented Care model. However, they already try to implement some of its principles such as identifying patient goals and supporting shared decision making.

Primary Outcome Measure

Health related quality of life [ Time Frame: Participants will be asked to fill in the SF-12 questionnaire at baseline and at 12 months. ]

Central Contacts

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