Virtual Communication in the Hospital: Impact on Patients and Surrogates
Key facts
- Who runs it
- Indiana University
- Where
- Indianapolis, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Status
- Withdrawn
- Starts
- 31 Mar 2027
- Expected to end
- 31 Mar 2027
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets no study treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- VCHIPS
- Record updated
- 22 April 2026
- Why it stopped
- Recruitment effort yielded no enrollments, so this study was stopped. We are re-evaluating the study design.
Who can take part
- Age
- 65 years and older
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 18 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Patient:
- 65 years or older
- cognitive impairment due to ADRD, delirium, or other causes of cognitive impairment severe enough that they require a surrogate for all medical decisions
- must have a surrogate decision maker based on a previously executed healthcare representative form or based on Indiana statute; Surrogate:
- English-speaking
- Surrogate does not plan to be at patient's bedside every day
- surrogate is 18 or older
Who cannot take part
- Lack of cognitive impairment
- Less than 65 years old
- Less than 18 years old
- Patient:
- Incarcerated individuals (e.g. prisoners)
- Terminal wean/ actively dying; Surrogate:
- Incarcerated individuals (e.g. prisoners)
- non-English speaking
- plans to be at patient's bedside every day
- has a care contract or flagged for security risk
- state-appointed guardians
Where in United States
- Indiana University HealthIndianapolis, United StatesNo longer taking part
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
This is a pilot study of scheduled video/audio conferences by clinical navigators on the experience of surrogate decision makers for hospitalized older adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD), delirium, and other causes of cognitive impairment. The purpose of this study is to learn more about the experiences of surrogate decision makers of hospitalized older adults when they cannot be physically present with the patient in the hospital. We will conduct a randomized pilot study of virtual visits to connect the surrogate decision makers of incapacitated, hospitalized older adults with AD, delirium, and related causes of cognitive impairment with the patient and clinicians.
The 2 groups in the trial
- Usual Care: Control GroupNo study treatment, for comparison
No interventions administered. Participant will receive usual care in the hospital.
- VCHIPS: Intervention GroupTreatment being tested
Individuals in this group will work with a study nurse to schedule the intervention.
Treatment: VCHIPS
Data and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Communication in the Hospital: Impact on Patients With Alzheimer's Disease and Other Causes of Cognitive Impairments and Their Surrogate Decision Makers
- Record updated
- 22 April 2026