Comfort Talk and Economic Outcomes in MRI



Status:Completed
Conditions:Psychiatric
Therapuetic Areas:Psychiatry / Psychology
Healthy:No
Age Range:Any
Updated:10/19/2017
Start Date:April 2015
End Date:July 31, 2017

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Amelioration of Claustrophobia and Disruptive Patient Motion in MRI Imaging (Phase 2 Randomized Training of Sites)

Annually, an estimated 700,000 patients do not complete their scheduled MRI scans because of
claustrophobia or inability to hold still. Training staffs working in MRI facilities to
provide Comfort Talk® will enable patients to complete high quality imaging without
medication, which will increase satisfaction and comfort while reducing sedation risks for
patients, and increase efficiency and reduce loss of revenue for facilities. The effect of
such training will be tested at 12 MRI sites in a randomized design. Outcome data will be
collected for one year.

Claustrophobia and disruptive patient motion are common impediments to MRI examination, but
they may be prevented or ameliorated with a non-pharmacologic behavioral intervention
administered by trained staff. The potential benefits of such an intervention are highly
significant, considering that the alternatives are to cancel the study or administer
sedation. Inability to complete their MRI scans adversely affects an estimated 700,000
patients every year in the US. These patients are either deprived of a diagnosis, subject to
diagnostic delays and interpretation errors due to motion artifact, or are exposed to risks
of pharmacologic sedation, including death. The imaging facilities typically cannot fill the
suddenly vacated examination slots in time before the next scheduled patient and incur
considerable lost revenue and efficiency. A negative patient experience further jeopardizes
Value-Based reimbursement by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) towards
which patient satisfaction counts 30%. The long term goal is to provide a validated,
clinically feasible means for non-pharmacologic amelioration of claustrophobia and disruptive
patient motion, achieved by training facility staff in Comfort Talk®.

Comfort Talk® training consists of a proprietary, standardized R3 Process of Rapport,
Relaxation, and Reframing including 2 x 8-hrs class-room interaction, onsite coaching, and
institution-specific web-based support to help the MRI team to further develop its own
language style and skill set.

The effect of Comfort Talk® training will be quantified in a prospective randomized design at
12 MRI satellites of the Ohio State University Medical Center and Duke University Medical
Center. Return of investment of training will be based on a decision-analysis model with
focus on number of scans performed, cancellations from no-shows and refusals; patients unable
to start or complete a scan; and sedation rates in relation to capacity, cost, and
reimbursement schedule. Patient satisfaction scores will be compared using Press Ganey
national benchmark percentile rankings and CMS quality standards.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Must routinely perform MRI examinations

- Must capture data on noncompletion of MRI scans

Exclusion Criteria:

- No dedicated MRI unit

- Unable to reliably capture data on noncompletion of MRI scans
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Brookline, Massachusetts 02446
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2301 Erwin Rd
Durham, North Carolina 27710
919-684-8111
Duke Univ Med Ctr As a world-class academic and health care system, Duke Medicine strives...
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