A Digital Tool to Improve Family Engagement in Acute Care: The NGAGE Randomized Pilot Feasibility Trial

Engaging families in care is an important aspect of healthcare delivery. Our interdisciplinary team designed the NGAGE (for "family eNGAGEment") tool to empower family members to increase their engagement in patient care. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of use of the NGAGE tool.

We conducted a single-centre, pilot, feasibility randomized controlled trial in the acute cardiac unit of a tertiary-care academic hospital. Family members of admitted patients were randomized in a 1:1 manner to the intervention (use of the NGAGE tool) or usual-care group. Intervention group participants could request engagement activities using the NGAGE tool and this request was transmitted to the treating healthcare team. At enrollment, demographics and family engagement scores were captured. At discharge, data on care satisfaction, mental health, and engagement were collected. Recruitment rate, intervention uptake, tool use, requests fulfilled, and follow-up rate were used to assess feasibility outcomes.

A total of 88 participants (45 intervention, 43 control) were included in the analysis. The mean recruitment rate was 2.9 participants per week. In the intervention group, 69% of participants used the NGAGE tool (1.5 ± 0.9 uses per participant). Most engagement requests (39 of 47; 83.0%) were fulfilled. Follow-up data were available for 76% of participants (67 of 88). Family members who used the NGAGE tool improved their family engagement score. No between-group differences occurred in mental health or satisfaction at follow-up (all P > 0.05).

We found evidence to suggest that implementation of the NGAGE tool was feasible. The results will inform the design of a multicentre effectiveness trial of use of the NGAGE tool.

NCT05528185.