Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Healthcare Visual Map Tool for Health Workers to Improve Quality of Life of Home Care Patients: Study Protocol

Abstract

Background: Home care programs in primary healthcare aim to address the health needs of elderly and frail populations, but ensuring safety in home environments can be challenging due to factors like limited supervision, environmental hazards, and the complexity of managing multiple health conditions. Fragmented information further complicates healthcare professionals' ability to identify critical health risks and manage them effectively. Objective: This study aims to design and evaluate the effectiveness of a visual map integrated into the electronic medical record of home care patients. The goal will be to implement this tool and enhance healthcare professionals' interventions, improving patient safety and quality of life. Methods: The study will be conducted in three phases: (1) the design of a visual map for the home care program by identifying health areas and contributing factors; (2) a cluster-randomized clinical trial across primary care centers to assess whether the visual map reduces hospital admissions, falls, and injuries while improving quality of life; and (3) a qualitative study to evaluate the impact of the visual map on the home care program. Results: It is anticipated that the visual map will reduce hospital admissions, falls, and injuries among home care patients while improving quality of life by facilitating targeted and effective professional interventions. Discussion: This visual map aims to enhance the safety of vulnerable home care patients by integrating critical health information into a practical, easy-to-implement tool. Its feasibility and potential for integration into routine primary care within the Catalan Institute of Health make it a valuable innovation with broader applicability. Trial registration: NCT04399616. Registered on 8 May 2024.

Keywords: home care service; information technology; patient safety; primary healthcare; quality of healthcare.

Figure 1

Flowchart with different phases and steps of methodology.

Figure 2

An example of the risk level and weighting map. Contributing factors from the different health areas are colored depending on the risk level: no risk (in green), potential risk (in orange), and current problem (in red). ACD, Advanced Chronic Disease; AHD, Advance Healthcare Directive; CCP, Complex Chronic Patient; ESAS, Edmonton Symptom Assessment System; LW, Living Will; MNA, Mini Nutritional Assessment; MOSPS, Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety; MRSA, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; PDA, Planning Decisions in Advance; PS, patient safety; SIIP, Shared Individualized Intervention Plan; SNISP Cat, Sistema de Notificació d’Incidents de Seguretat dels Pacients de Catalunya; VAS, Visual Analog Scale.

Figure 3

An example of the healthcare visual map. Each health area is colored depending on the risk-weighted as follows: no risk (in green), potential risk (in orange) and current problem (in red).