Effectiveness of the cardiac-diabetes transcare program: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Endocrinology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) face elevated risks of hospital readmission, morbidity, and mortality.
• Transitional care programs are crucial for managing complex chronic conditions.
• The Cardiac-Diabetes Transcare program is a multi-modal self-management intervention designed for this high-risk population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Cardiac-Diabetes Transcare program.
• To determine if the intervention can reduce the 6-month hospital readmission rate compared to usual care.
• To assess the impact of the program on patient self-efficacy and self-management behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A two-armed, randomised controlled trial (RCT) with blinded outcome assessment.
• Participants will be randomized to either a Usual Care Group or the Cardiac-Diabetes Transcare Intervention Group.
• The intervention includes in-hospital education, home visits, and telephone follow-up by a Research Nurse.

Main Results:

• The primary outcome is the 6-month readmission rate.
• Secondary outcomes, including self-efficacy, will be assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months.
• A sample size of 432 participants will be recruited from hospitals in Queensland and Victoria, Australia.

Conclusions:

• The study protocol outlines a rigorous RCT to investigate a targeted transitional care intervention.
• Findings are expected to provide valuable insights into improving health outcomes for patients with comorbid ACS and T2D.
• The intervention's potential to enhance self-efficacy and reduce hospital readmissions will be elucidated.