Improving Patient-clinician Communication About End-of-life Care (NCT00374010) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedPhase 2
Improving Patient-clinician Communication About End-of-life Care
42 participantsStarted 2005-01
Plain-language summary
The specific aims are:
1. to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of PC-ACP among African American patients with End-stage Renal Disease and their surrogates and
2. to examine preliminary effects of PC-ACP on patient and surrogate outcomes (patients' perceived quality of communication, surrogates' level of comfort in decision making for the patient, patients' difficulty in making choices, patient-surrogate congruence in goals of care, and patients' and surrogates' psychosocial/spiritual receptiveness) at one week following receipt of the intervention.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. have been on either center-hemodialysis or home-peritoneal dialysis
. are cognitively intact,i.e., able to communicate, able to understand information, able to make choices and give rationale,
. have an individual who can be present during the intervention as a surrogate decision maker,
. are over 18 years of age, and
. are able to communicate in English. Surrogates must be over 18 years of age and be able to communicate in English.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
congruence between patient and surrogate at one week after intervention
Timeframe: one week post intervention
2
patient and surrogate satisfaction with communication