Key result
EHR-integrated digital health tools for discharge preparation did not significantly increase patient activation at discharge compared to preimplementation (59.8% vs 56.7%; adjusted OR 1.23; P=0.73).
Why the study?
To evaluate the effect of EHR-integrated digital health tools, including a checklist and video, on transitions-of-care outcomes for patients preparing for discharge.
Do EHR-integrated digital health tools improve patient activation at discharge in hospitalized general medicine patients?
Do EHR-integrated digital health tools improve patient activation at discharge in hospitalized general medicine patients?
Odds Ratio: 1.23 (95% CI 0.38–3.96)
Absolute Event Rate: 59.8% vs 56.7%
p-value: p=0.73
EHR-integrated digital health tools for discharge preparation did not significantly increase patient activation and were associated with a longer length of stay.
EHR tools should not yet alter discharge practices; leaves open whether RCTs would demonstrate activation benefits.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of electronic health record (EHR)-integrated digital health tools comprised of a checklist and video on transitions-of-care outcomes for patients preparing for discharge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: English-speaking, general medicine patients (>18 years) hospitalized at least 24 hours at an academic medical center in Boston, MA were enrolled before and after implementation. A structured checklist and video were administered on a mobile device via a patient portal or web-based survey at least 24 hours prior to anticipated discharge. Checklist responses were available for clinicians to review in real time via an EHR-integrated safety dashboard. The primary outcome was patient activation at discharge assessed by patient activation (PAM)-13. Secondary outcomes included postdischarge patient activation, hospital operational metrics, healthcare resource utilization assessed by 30-day follow-up calls and administrative data and change in patient activation from discharge to 30 days postdischarge. RESULTS: Of 673 patients approached, 484 (71.9%) enrolled. The proportion of activated patients (PAM level 3 or 4) at discharge was nonsignificantly higher for the 234 postimplementation compared with the 245 preimplementation participants (59.8% vs 56.7%, adjusted OR 1.23 [0.38, 3.96], P = .73). Postimplementation participants reported 3.75 (3.02) concerns via the checklist. Mean length of stay was significantly higher for postimplementation compared with preimplementation participants (10.13 vs 6.21, P < .01). While there was no effect on postdischarge outcomes, there was a nonsignificant decrease in change in patient activation within participants from pre- to postimplementation (adjusted difference-in-difference of -16.1% (9.6), P = .09). CONCLUSIONS: EHR-integrated digital health tools to prepare patients for discharge did not significantly increase patient activation and was associated with a longer length of stay. While issues uncovered by the checklist may have encouraged patients to inquire about their discharge preparedness, other factors associated with patient activation and length of stay may explain our observations. We offer insights for using PAM-13 in context of real-world health-IT implementations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NIH US National Library of Medicine, NCT03116074, clinicaltrials.gov.
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Dalal et al. (2020) studied Hospitalized general medicine patients preparing for discharge (n=484). EHR-integrated digital health tools (checklist and video) vs. Preimplementation standard care was evaluated on Patient activation at discharge assessed by patient activation (PAM)-13 (adjusted OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.38-3.96, p=0.73). EHR-integrated digital health tools for discharge preparation did not significantly increase patient activation at discharge compared to preimplementation (59.8% vs 56.7%; adjusted OR 1.23; P=0.73).
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