CompletedNot Applicable

Comprehensive Observations and Multidisciplinary Approaches in the Management of Unconscious Patients

Switzerland50 participantsStarted 2024-03-01

Plain-language summary

This prospective observational high-fidelity simulation study aims to observe and better understand how physicians from different disciplines differentiate in the management of a comatose patient and how their diagnostic and treatment approaches adhere to current recommendations in a highly standardized simulated scenario. The results gained by this study will give more insight into the current quality of diagnostic procedures and treatment and help refine recommendations in this context. The investigators hypothesize that physicians do not strictly adhere (regarding diagnostic approach and treatment) to current guidelines/recommendations when confronted with a comatose patient.

Who can participate

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: * The participant is a physician (one of the following specialties: Neurology, Intensive Care, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine) * The participant practices medicine at the University Hospital Basel * The participant has signed informed consent and agrees to be recorded (audio and video) during the study. Exclusion Criteria: * None.

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.

1This study looked at how doctors from different specialties approach diagnosing and treating coma — did its findings change any recommendations about which specialists should be involved early when someone is in a coma?
2Since this trial is already completed, has my care team seen the results, and do they think the findings about multidisciplinary management are relevant to my specific situation?
3The study focused on comparing diagnostic and treatment approaches across disciplines — does that mean there were meaningful differences found in how, say, neurologists versus intensivists manage comatose patients, and could that affect which team leads my care?
4Given that this was an observational study rather than a treatment trial, are there separate clinical trials testing actual coma treatments that my doctor thinks would be worth exploring based on what this research revealed?
5Since the trial is now complete and involved no experimental treatment, is there any practical change to standard care protocols at this hospital that came out of studies like this one that might apply to my loved one's treatment plan?

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

To reveal diagnostic and treatment approaches of physicians from different disciplines when confronted with a comatose patient.

Timeframe: 1 time assessment before, during and directly after the intervention (approx. 30 minutes in total)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06265168

SponsorUniversity Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2024-11-30

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Coma trials

Plain-language summary

Who can participate

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.