CompletedNot Applicable

Improving the Follow up Rate for Pediatric Patients

Nepal264 participantsStarted 2021-02-15

Plain-language summary

Follow-up of pediatric patients is important for their regular ocular morbidity monitoring, especially for amblyopia management. An observatory data of 1st week (1st to 7th) of January 2019 revealed that the follow-up compliance was very low (22%) among children aged 0-16 years in the pediatric department of Bharatpur Eye Hospital. A problem tree analysis showed a lack of awareness in children and their parents regarding the importance of follow-up and patients forgetting regarding the follow-up visit, usually when there is the long duration of follow up are the major contributing factors for poor adherence to follow-up. So, an intervention study was aimed at finding the effectiveness of counseling and reminders through SMS and phone calls to improve the follow-ups. All pediatric patients 0-16 years of age with ocular conditions requiring at least 3 follow-ups in the study period (January 2021 to April 2021) will be included. Two hundred and sixty-four participants will be equally distributed to three groups: routine standard care, counseling, and reminders with SMS and phone calls. In the routine care group, children will undergo routine care as per existing practice in the hospital and there will be no additional intervention. In counseling group, in addition to routine care parents/guardians along with the child will receive counseling from a trained counselor as per the set counseling protocol in every follow-up visits and will also be provided with the disease-specific information leaflets as additional information material before the child is discharged from the department. In the SMS and phone call reminder group, in addition to routine care, parents/guardians of children will receive reminders through short messaging text (SMS) 3 days and phone calls one day prior to the scheduled visit. Compliance to follow up Participants completing all the three follow-up visits as per the schedule within the window period of +/-2 days will be considered as a complaint to follow up. However, the follow-ups of all the participants will be recorded although that is beyond the window period. The primary outcome will be measured by the proportion of children completing all three scheduled follow-ups. The ethical approval has been obtained from the Institutional Review Committee of NHRC (ERB protocol registration number 761/2020 P). Informed consent will be taken from parent and child. Conclusion: If interventions improve the follow-up rate and are cost-effective, this can be applied in all the departments of the hospital.

Who can participate

Age range

1 Day – 16 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: * all pediatric patients 0-16 years age advised for at least 3 follow up visits within 4 months period (January 2021 to April 2021) at Bharatpur Eye Hospital * Patients who require weekly, bi-weekly (fortnight), or monthly follow up visits, * In certain conditions, some severe cases require earlier follow up than the scheduled follow up schedule, those cases will be included, * Parents/guardians of children who own a mobile phone or have daily access to a phone and are able to use the SMS (Short Message Sending) feature on these phones, * Parents of children willing to enroll their children in the study Exclusion Criteria: * Children who require less than 3 follow up visits, * Ocular conditions requiring daily follow up visits will be excluded because it is not feasible to send the reminder phone call and SMS for daily follow up * Children who have already been treated and under regular follow up, * Children with ocular conditions requiring to follow up beyond four months, * Children whose follow up schedules fall beyond the study duration, * Parents/ guardians of the children not willing to participate in the study.

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

Proportion of children completing all three follow up visits

Timeframe: 4 months

Trial details

NCT IDNCT04837534

SponsorSeva Foundation

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2021-10-30

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