This evaluation of the LIVE Program will develop preliminary evidence on the acceptability and feasibility of using a multicomponent application to deliver a care coordination platform virtually. Findings on the program design, implementation, and user preferences can be used to iterate the platform to create a more mature technological solution and to increase long-term adoption of virtual care for complex care populations. The results of this work can be used as a basis for the design of future studies on virtual care for the home mechanical ventilation population and for sample size calculations to reach statistical power and demonstrate effectiveness in different regions of Ontario and Canada. Evidence from future long-term and well-powered studies can then be used to translate the findings of the LIVE program to the development of virtual care platforms for other complex patient populations.
Part 1: Evaluation of the acceptability and feasibility of the LIVE Program
Study Design: Prospective mixed methods observational study with embedded acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility questionnaires and semi-structured qualitative interviews.
Study Population: Patients, family caregivers and healthcare providers involved in the LIVE Program between May 1, 2020 to November 30, 2020.
Study Outcomes: Acceptablity, Appropriateness and Feasibility
Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM) and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM)
- 12-item questionnaire
- Assesses feasiblity of healthcare interventions on a 5 point Likert scale
- Validity and test-retest reliability previously demonstrated
Semi-Structured Interviews
- 20 patients, 20 caregivers, 20 healthcare providers
- Explore the quantitative answers to AIM/IAM/FIM.
- Explore the experience with the LIVE Program and barriers and facilitators.
- Explore virtual care experience during COVID-19.
Part 2: Retrospective review of the entire LIVE Program
Study Design: Retrospective observational study evaluating LIVE Program metrics and clinical use of the app.
Study Population: All LIVE participants between May 1, 2020 to November 30, 2020.
Sample Size: 250 LIVE Program participants.
Study Outcomes: Fidelity Metrics, Patient Safety, adverse Events, Clinical Outcomes.
Part 3: Evaluation of the impact of the LIVE Program on healthcare utilization and associated costs using health administrative data
Study Population: All LIVE participants between May 1, 2020 to November 30, 2020
Sample Size: 250 LIVE Participants
A cost-utility analysis (CUA) will be conducted to determine the incremental costs (or cost-savings) of the LIVE Program in improving quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) among participants on long-term mechanical ventilation at home. Direct health care costs, including costs of the intervention and health services used, during the project will be collected from data and by linkage with administrative datasets (IC/ES).