Symptom Care at Home for Heart Failure
Symptom Care at Home-Heart Failure: Developing and Piloting a Symptom Monitoring and Self-Management Coaching System for Patients With Heart Failure
NA · Emory University · NCT04347759
This project will test an automated phone system that checks daily heart-failure symptoms and gives personalized self-care coaching to people returning home after a hospitalization.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Emory University (other) |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy |
| Locations | 4 sites (Atlanta, Georgia and 3 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT04347759 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This pilot randomized controlled trial adapts an interactive voice response (IVR) telephone system to monitor patient-reported heart failure symptoms daily and deliver automated, real-time self-management coaching. Eligible patients discharged home with a medical diagnosis of heart failure (NYHA class I–IV) who speak English and have daily telephone access will be randomized to receive the IVR coaching or usual care. The system pairs patient-reported outcomes with tailored messages to encourage timely self-care and prompt clinical contact when symptoms worsen, building on an earlier Symptom Care at Home program that reduced symptom burden in cancer patients. The trial will focus on feasibility, patient engagement, and preliminary signals of reduced symptom burden or healthcare utilization across Emory clinical sites.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults with a medical diagnosis of heart failure who will be discharged home, are NYHA class I–IV, and have daily access to a telephone.
Not a fit: Patients discharged to hospice, with end-stage renal disease, awaiting heart transplant, with marked cognitive impairment on Mini‑Cog, or without regular phone access are unlikely to benefit from this automated IVR approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the system could help patients catch worsening symptoms earlier, improve daily symptom control, and reduce unplanned emergency visits or rehospitalizations.
How similar studies have performed: A prior cancer trial using the Symptom Care at Home IVR system showed a 40% reduction in symptoms, but few heart failure studies have tested a combined symptom-monitoring-and-coaching system, making this a novel application in HF.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Medical diagnosis of heart failure * New York Heart Association (NYHA) Classification of the Stages of Heart Failure Class I - IV * Ability to read, understand, and speak in English * Will be discharged home * Has daily access to any type of telephone Exclusion Criteria: * A score of 0 or 1-2 with an abnormally drawn clock on the Mini-Cog * Discharged home on hospice care * End-stage renal failure * Wait list for heart transplant
Where this trial is running
Atlanta, Georgia and 3 other locations
- Emory University Hospital Midtown — Atlanta, Georgia, United States (RECRUITING)
- Emory Clinic — Atlanta, Georgia, United States (RECRUITING)
- Emory University Hospital — Atlanta, Georgia, United States (RECRUITING)
- University of Utah Health — Salt Lake City, Utah, United States (COMPLETED)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Youjeong Kang, PhD — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Youjeong Kang, PhD
- Email: youjeong.kang@emory.edu
- Phone: 254-717-7802
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: Heart Failure, Symptoms and Signs, Symptom Management, Technology