Identifying, engaging, and supporting care partners in primary care settings: a portal-based intervention

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Digital Health Interventions
• Primary Care

Background:

• Millions of Americans act as care partners, providing essential health and function-related support.
• Care partners are crucial but often unidentified and unsupported within healthcare delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a portal-based intervention designed to identify, engage, and support care partners in primary care settings.
• To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a digital tool for connecting caregivers with resources.

Main Methods:

• A multi-site study implemented a portal notification system inviting patients to complete pre-visit questionnaires.
• Patients reporting caregiving responsibilities were linked to the Caregiver Intensity Index (CII) assessment and local resources.
• In-clinic materials supplemented the digital intervention, providing access information for the CII.

Main Results:

• Response rates for the pre-visit questionnaire varied by organization (45.9% and 64.9%).
• Approximately 17-23% of respondents reported caregiving responsibilities, with 27-37% completing the CII.
• 61% of patients completing the CII reported moderate caregiving intensity, and 16-19% accessed available resources.

Conclusions:

• This pilot study represents a novel effort to identify and support care partners using a portal-based intervention.
• The findings suggest that a simple portal questionnaire linked to the CII and resources can effectively engage and support care partners with minimal workflow disruption.
• This digital approach may enhance engagement with vulnerable patients and offers a scalable solution for widespread care partner support.