Leveraging home health aides to improve outcomes in heart failure: A pilot study protocol.

TitleLeveraging home health aides to improve outcomes in heart failure: A pilot study protocol.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2024
AuthorsEspinosa CG, Vergez S, McDonald MV, Safford MM, Cho J, Tobin JN, Mourad O, Marcus R, Ringel JJoanna Bry, Banerjee S, Dell N, Feldman P, Sterling MR
JournalContemp Clin Trials
Volume143
Pagination107570
Date Published2024 Aug
ISSN1559-2030
KeywordsHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Heart Failure, Home Care Services, Humans, Mobile Applications, Patient Readmission, Pilot Projects, Quality of Life, Self Efficacy
Abstract

Heart failure (HF) affects six million people in the U.S., is associated with high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization.(1, 2) Despite a decade of innovation, the majority of interventions aimed at reducing hospitalization and readmissions in HF have not been successful.(3-7) One reason may be that most have overlooked the role of home health aides and attendants (HHAs), who are often highly involved in HF care.(8-13) Despite their contributions, studies have found that HHAs lack specific HF training and have difficulty reaching their nursing supervisors when they need urgent help with their patients. Here we describe the protocol for a pilot randomized control trial (pRCT) assessing a novel stakeholder-engaged intervention that provides HHAs with a) HF training (enhanced usual care arm) and b) HF training plus a mobile health application that allows them to chat with a nurse in real-time (intervention arm). In collaboration with the VNS Health of New York, NY, we will conduct a single-site parallel arm pRCT with 104 participants (HHAs) to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness (primary outcomes: HF knowledge; HF caregiving self-efficacy) of the intervention among HHAs caring for HF patients. We hypothesize that educating and better integrating HHAs into the care team can improve their ability to provide support for patients and outcomes for HF patients as well (exploratory outcomes include hospitalization, emergency department visits, and readmission). This study offers a novel and potentially scalable way to leverage the HHA workforce and improve the outcomes of the patients for whom they care. Clinical trial.gov registration: NCT04239911.

DOI10.1016/j.cct.2024.107570
Alternate JournalContemp Clin Trials
PubMed ID38740297
PubMed Central IDPMC11283941
Grant ListK23 HL150160 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR002384 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States