A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Crossover Study to Evaluate the Impact of Messaging Interventions on Emergency Department Utilization Among Oncology Patients at Parkland Health

Summary

This pragmatic randomized controlled study evaluates an education intervention designed to increase patient engagement with Oncology Acute Care (OAC) services among patients being treated for cancer at Parkland Health. Eligible patients will be randomized to either a control (usual care) arm or an intervention arm. If a patient in the control group has experiences a subsequent cancer treatment related ED visit without documented OAC engagement, they will be moved to the intervention arm. Patients in the intervention arm will receive an automated MyChart message and text message within 24 hours of hospital discharge reinforcing oncology acute care (OAC) resources, including contact information for the triage line and guidance for when to seek urgent versus emergency care. Messages will be resent at 48 and 72 hours if unviewed. Once the message is viewed, the patient will enter an outcome tracking period to monitor time to subsequent ED visit or OAC contact. Follow-up will occur in 3-month intervals until an outcome is documented or the study ends. After randomization, patients will be monitored on an observation list for outcomes including OAC contact and cancer treatment-related Emergency Department (ED) visits. Patients who contact OAC clinic will be removed from observation list and complete the study. We will repeat the observation period and document outcomes if the patient has a subsequent cancer treatment-related ED visits without documented OAC engagement.

Description