Improve Glaucoma Medication Adherence

VA Office of Research and Development200 enrolled

Overview

The proposed study is a randomized controlled trial enrolling Veterans with medically treated glaucoma who report less than 100% adherence to the prescribed glaucoma therapy. Participants will be randomized to receive either a one-on-one session with a member of the research team discussing the disease process and strategies for administering eye drops (intervention) or a one-on-one session with a member of the research team discussing general eye health (control). All participants will be provided with a "smart bottle" to house their glaucoma medications. The smart bottle records the date and time that the bottle is opened. For participants in the intervention arm only, a reminder function will be activated. The proportion or prescribed doses taken according to the monitor will be compared for the two groups.

The purpose if this study is to improve glaucoma medication adherence in Veterans with medically-treated glaucoma. The study design is a single-site randomized controlled trial. Specific Aim 1. Evaluate the impact of an intervention to improve glaucoma medication adherence among Veterans at 6-month follow up. Hypothesis 1: Veterans randomized to the intervention will have a greater proportion of prescribed glaucoma medication doses taken as measured by the electronic medication monitor in the 6 months following the intervention compared to Veterans randomized to the control arm. The primary outcome for hypothesis 1A is the proportion of prescribed doses taken according to the electronic monitor. Participants in both arms will receive the electronic monitor or "smart bottle," which wirelessly transmits the date and time of opening of the smart bottle to the study team. From these medication events, the proportion of prescribed doses will be derived, defined as the ratio of the number of times the smart bottle was opened to the required number of doses prescribed according to the medical record over the period of time that the bottle is in use. For example, if a participant is advised to take his or her glaucoma drop twice a day for the 180 days that the bottle is in use and the smart bottle reveals 135 openings over the same time period, the proportion of prescribed doses taken is 37.5%. Specific Aim 2. Evaluate the impact of the intervention on intensification of glaucoma therapy among Veterans at 12-month follow-up. Hypothesis 2: The proportion of Veterans in the intervention arm that are prescribed more intensive glaucoma therapy, defined as addition of adjuvant glaucoma medication or recommendation for laser or glaucoma surgery will be less than the proportion of Veterans in the control arm who are prescribed more intensive glaucoma therapy in the 12 months following the intervention. Baseline data collection will include cataloging the current glaucoma medication regimen prescribed to the participant. Chart abstractions will be performed at 12 months following the baseline visit and intensification of glaucoma therapy will be defined as either 1) the addition of another glaucoma medication to the baseline regimen, 2) recommendation for glaucoma laser treatment, or 3) recommendation for glaucoma surgery in the 12 months following the baseline visit . The investigators will collect these data at 12 months because the Metrics study suggested that 55% of participants in the control arm will have intensification of therapy within one year. Specific Aim 3. Evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness and budget and workflow impacts of the intervention compared to usual care. Hypothesis 3: The intervention will be cost-effectiveness for the following ratios: 1) cost per percentage improvement in medication adherence; 2) cost per blindness averted; and 3) cost per quality-adjusted-life years saved. A direct measurement approach will be used to estimate per-patient intervention and control arm costs. Glaucoma-related health care utilization costs will be derived from VA administrative datasets. The cost estimates will be combined with observed improvement in medication adherence and reduction in escalation in therapy to estimate the first two incremental cost effectiveness ratios. Simulation using Markov modeling will be used to estimate the incremental cost per blindness averted and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. Cost estimates and labor time data collected will be combined with glaucoma prevalence rates among Veterans to estimate overall budget and workload impacts to the VA healthcare system.

Interventions

Educational - glaucomaBEHAVIORAL

Discussion of glaucoma and the potential for blindness, facilitated by the glaucoma educator using a 3-dimensional model eye and photographic representation of glaucomatous vision loss; One-one-one demonstration of eye drop instillation techniques, Provision of a mnemonic aid which alerts the participant to missed doses; Review of the participant manual: An illustrated brochure on glaucoma and eye drop instillation. An individualized schedule for dosing of glaucoma medications. Individualized suggestions for improving adherence based on the subject's responses to the (SASES).

Dose monitoring and reminderBEHAVIORAL

Participants will be provided with a "smart bottle" to house one of their glaucoma medications. The smart bottle records the date and time that the bottle is opened. For participants in the intervention arm only, a reminder through AdhereTech will be activated.

Educational - generalBEHAVIORAL

The control information session will include review of a Powerpoint presentation on general eye health, including but not specific to glaucoma.

Dose monitoringBEHAVIORAL

Participants will be provided with a "smart bottle" to house one of their glaucoma medications. The smart bottle records the date and time that the bottle is opened.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of open angle glaucoma \[primary open angle glaucoma, pigment dispersion glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, combined mechanism glaucoma, low tension glaucoma\] recorded in the medical record * Prescribed glaucoma eye drops, * Visual field performed within the last 9 months. * As visual field testing is standard care glaucoma and the investigators wish to establish baseline glaucoma severity, the investigators will require that subjects have a visual field test documented in the chart within 9 months of enrollment. Exclusion Criteria: Exclusion criteria for patients At Screener: * "How confident are you that you always remember to use your glaucoma medications?" * not at all confident * somewhat confident * very confident) * And "In the past 4 weeks, did you ever forget to take your medicine?" * Veterans who respond both "very confident" and "no", respectively, will be excluded Inclusion criteria for companions at screener: * Willing to participate in assisting the patient with glaucoma drops and * Willing to accompany the patient to the intervention visit for participants in the intervention arm or eye health education visit for participants in the control arm. Exclusion criteria for companions: Unable or unwilling to attend baseline visit and intervention or control arm educational session with patient participant. Exclusion criteria for patients or companions: * Lacks proficiency in English, * Lacks either a cell phone or landline phone. Exclusion criteria for patients post randomization: * Decision by patient and provider to cease glaucoma medication use * Change in functional status such that the drops are no longer administered by the patient or the companion (such as nursing home care)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Proportion of Prescribed Glaucoma Medication Doses Taken on Schedule

Will veterans randomized to the intervention have a greater proportion of prescribed glaucoma medication doses taken as measured by the electronic medication monitor in the 6 months following the intervention compared to Veterans randomized to the control arm? The electronic bottle records the date and time that the bottle is opened. For participants in the intervention arm only, a reminder through the electronic bottle will be activated. The outcome measure is the proportion of prescribed doses taken with a minimum of Zero and a maximum of One; where higher scores indicate more adherence.

Time frame: Randomization to 6 Months

Secondary Outcomes

VA Medical Resource Use and Costs

The investigators will investigate the overall budget impacts to the VA healthcare system. The main intervention costs are labor inputs, consisting of the one-time fixed labor cost of training and the variable labor cost of conducting the adherence intervention. The VA healthcare system also incurs costs, such as administration, utilities, and custodial services that cannot be directly attributed to a given health care service but nonetheless should be included in the cost analysis.

Time frame: 6 months