This is a randomized trial of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers treated at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) who are starting a new line of systemic therapy to evaluate the feasibility of electronic patient reported outcome (ePRO) platform.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the feasibility of the ePRO platform by describing the proportion of participants who engage with the ePRO tool via virtual care chat at least once after enrollment. II. To investigate the potential differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) by comparing the change in overall score of EuroQol five-dimensional Questionnaire (EQ-5D) index. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the degree of engagement with virtual care chat as defined by the proportion of chat modules completed. II. To measure the potential differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). III. To describe the symptom experience of participants in the intervention arm. IV. To evaluate the performance of clinical escalation rules and impact on clinic workflow and efficiency. V. To prospectively validate a risk model predicting emergency department (ED) visits and admissions due to cancer treatment side effects. EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare unplanned ED visits and hospitalizations between intervention arm and control arm. II. To compare referral patterns to Symptom Management Clinic. III. To compare concordance between participant self-reported and provider assigned Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
The ePRO tool is developed by a third-party vendor, Conversa, and engages the patient in a chat-based interaction to assess patient symptoms and provide educational material.
Surveys will be administered to participants
Proportion of patients who engaged with the ePRO tool
The point estimation of proportion of patients who engaged with the ePRO tool via virtual care chat at least once after enrollment and its 95% binomial confidence interval (CI) will be obtained.
Time frame: Up to 6 months
Change in overall score of EQ-5D
The EQ-5D is a standardized instrument for measuring generic health status. The health status is measured in terms of five dimensions (5D); mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The respondents self-rate their level of severity for each dimension by selecting one of the following responses: no problems (0), slight problems (1), mild problems (2), moderate problems (3), or severe problems (4) with a particular dimension. Lower scores indicate less issues/problems with that particular health dimension. Change in overall score of EQ-5D index between the intervention and usual of care arms between baseline and 6 months will be reported
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of chat modules completed
To evaluate the degree of engagement with virtual care chat as defined by the proportion of chat modules completed per patient. Point estimation and 95% binomial CI will be obtained assuming normality assumption holds.
Time frame: Up to 6 months
Proportion of chats in which PRO-CTCAE was offered were completed.
To evaluate the degree of engagement with virtual care chat as defined by the proportion of chats in which PRO-CTCAE was offered were completed. Point estimation and 95% binomial CI will be obtained assuming normality assumption holds
Time frame: Up to 6 months
Change in EQ-5D scores over time
The EQ-5D is a standardized instrument for measuring generic health status. The health status is measured in terms of five dimensions (5D); mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The respondents self-rate their level of severity for each dimension by selecting one of the following responses: no problems (0), slight problems (1), mild problems (2), moderate problems (3), or severe problems (4) with a particular dimension. Lower scores indicate less issues/problems with that particular health dimension. Change in overall score of EQ-5D index between the intervention and usual of care arms between baseline, every 3 months, and at the completion of the study will be examined using a linear mixed model.
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Time frame: Up to 6 months
Number of patient-reported symptoms
Number of patient-reported symptoms over the 6-month study period will be reported by frequency of symptom.
Time frame: Up to 6 months
Number of patient-reported symptoms that were severe and were escalated
Number of patient-reported symptoms that were categorized as severe and escalated will be reported by frequency of symptom.
Time frame: Up to 6 months
Mean change in pain score over time.
The pain score will be obtained using a standard pain index with values ranging from 0= No Pain to 10= Worst pain as reported by patients. Higher scores indicate a greater degree of patient reported pain. The change in pain scores will be evaluated using a linear mixed model.
Time frame: Up to 6 months
Number of phone calls and secure messages
The overall volume of phone calls and secure messages between each patient and the clinical team will be reported.
Time frame: Up to 6 months
Predictive value of ED Visit and/or hospital admission
To prospectively validate a risk model predicting ED visits and admissions due to treatment side effects via Model area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC). Accuracy of a previously developed model will be prospectively assessed during the course of this study. The model currently generates an assessment of risk that a patient will have an Chemotherapy Measure (OP-35) qualifying event in the 30-day period following an infusional therapy administration. An OP-35 event is defined as: One or more inpatient admissions for anemia, dehydration, diarrhea, emesis, fever, nausea, neutropenia, pain, pneumonia, or sepsis within 30 days of chemotherapy treatment.
Time frame: Up to 6 months