Video intervention to improve advance care planning for patients with serious illness

Randomized Trial of a Home-Advance Care Planning Video Intervention for Patients With Life-Limiting Illness

Not applicable Interventional Massachusetts General Hospital · NCT04778761

This study is testing if a video about advance care planning can help adults with serious illnesses better communicate their medical care preferences while receiving home care.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment500 (estimated)
Ages21 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorMassachusetts General Hospital Academic / other
Locations1 site (Jersey City, New Jersey)
Trial IDNCT04778761 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This research aims to enhance patients' understanding of advance care planning (ACP) and hospice care for those with serious illnesses receiving home-based care. The study involves a randomized clinical trial with 500 adult participants who will either receive usual care or usual care plus a home-ACP video designed to facilitate communication about their medical care preferences. The goal is to assess whether the video intervention can improve patient-clinician discussions and lead to more patient-centered care.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 21 or over with a prognosis of one year or less who are receiving home-based medical care.

Not a fit: Patients who are visually impaired beyond 20/200 corrected or have acute psychiatric illnesses that impair cognitive ability may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could empower patients to better communicate their healthcare preferences, leading to improved quality of care.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using video interventions for patient education and communication, suggesting potential success for this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Aged 21 or over
* Have a one-year prognosis or less as determined by Clover Health's validated algorithm
* Speak either English or one of the other 25 languages in which the video intervention is available

Exclusion Criteria:

* Visually impaired beyond 20/200 corrected
* Acute psychiatric illness or other comorbid condition that impairs cognitive ability to participate in advance care planning discussion as determined by the primary House Call Provider.

Where this trial is running

Jersey City, New Jersey

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Health Care UtilizationEnd Stage Disease
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.