Implementing REmote SymPtom mOnitoring and maNagement (RESPONd)

Last updated: June 12, 2025
Sponsor: University of Calgary
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Cancer

Treatment

Clinic Team Huddle

Remote Symptom Monitoring and Management

Clinical Study ID

NCT07024329
HREBA.CC-24-0138
  • Ages > 18
  • All Genders

Study Summary

The goal of this study is to understand if the implementation of a remote symptom monitoring and management program improves outcomes. The program will provide patients the opportunity to complete electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) questionnaires from home between appointments and receive tailored advice from a study nurse. A second goal of this study is to examine the impact of electronic symptom monitoring on clinic efficiencies.

The main question it aims to answer is:

• What impact does implementing digitally enabled remote symptom monitoring and management (RESPONd) between ambulatory oncology visits have on patient outcomes and system efficiencies?

Participants will:

  • Report their symptoms and concerns from home by completing the electronic symptom monitoring questionnaire.

  • Discuss their symptoms and concerns with a study nurse.

  • Provide feedback about their experience at important timepoints during the study.

  • Participate as usual in ambulatory clinic appointments.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥ 18

  • Have cancer

  • Receiving care in one of the participating clinics.

  • Able to sign up for MyAHS Connect and consent.

  • Have access to a digital device at home

  • Able to complete their electronic PROs questionnaire without support from the clinicteam on a weekly (patients on active treatment) or monthly (patients on follow-up)basis, for the duration of the intervention or until they are discharged from theclinic.

  • Regular access to a telephone in order for the study nurse to call patients toprovide symptom management support.

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with cognitive disabilities or who cannot reliably report symptomsindependently.

  • Patients not residing in Alberta, as government-issued ID is required to registerfor MyAHS Connect.

  • Patients who do not have regular access to a telephone, as the study nurse needs tobe able to call patients to provide symptom management support.

  • Patients who do not speak English, or who do not have an English-speaking friend,family member, or caregiver to assist them, as the electronic PROs questionnaire isonly available in English at this time.

Study Design

Total Participants: 1055
Treatment Group(s): 2
Primary Treatment: Clinic Team Huddle
Phase:
Study Start date:
May 16, 2025
Estimated Completion Date:
March 31, 2027

Study Description

Rationale:

In recent years, cancer care has increasingly shifted from acute to ambulatory settings as a strategy to manage healthcare costs. While some emergency department (ED) visits are unavoidable due to the complexity of cancer-related issues, many could be prevented through timely symptom management and coordinated care in ambulatory oncology. The integration of Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) into routine cancer care has been shown to reduce ED visits, enhance quality of life, and improve overall survival.

Within Cancer Care Alberta, PROs are routinely collected during clinic visits and electronically, using a standardized questionnaire that assesses common symptoms and supportive care needs experienced by cancer patients. Despite this, the use of electronic PROs data for real-time symptom management remains inconsistent, and there is currently no established workflow in Alberta for remote symptom monitoring. As a result, healthcare providers often lack advance insight into patients' symptoms prior to appointments.

Study Design:

The study is a stepped-wedge effectiveness-implementation type 1 hybrid design. RESPONd will be implemented over 1.5 years in six clinics, spanning tertiary, regional, and community cancer centres. Study nurses will monitor electronic PROs questionnaires completed between clinic visits and contact patients to provide personalized support. Collected electronic PROs information will also be utilized during weekly triage discussions in each clinic, where the route of care will be tailored for patients based on their symptom complexity. Participant quality of life will be measured at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Health care utilization compared to non-RESPONd patients will be evaluated. The implementation of this study will be evaluated using the RE-AIM framework, utilizing all constructs.

Potential impact on practice:

The study will explore a person-centered, proactive approach to remote symptom management and the effects on patient experience, outcomes, and clinical teams. RESPONd represents an innovative opportunity to shift the model of care in oncology clinics to optimize efficiency and utilization of limited clinic resources and create a responsive care team that is ready and able to provide personalized symptom management and supportive care within the cancer journey.

Connect with a study center

  • Arthur J. E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre

    Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1
    Canada

    Site Not Available

  • Cross Cancer Institute

    Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1Z2
    Canada

    Active - Recruiting

  • High River Community Cancer Centre

    High River, Alberta T1V 1B3
    Canada

    Site Not Available

  • Central Alberta Cancer Centre

    Red Deer, Alberta T4N 6R2
    Canada

    Site Not Available

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