Using a standardized patient walk-through to improve implementation of clinical trials

Abstract This report describes a standardized patient (SP) walk-through to facilitate implementation of a clinical trial within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN). SPs are actors trained to portray a set of symptoms consistently across interactions with multiple clinicia...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of substance abuse treatment 2008-12, Vol.35 (4), p.470-475
Main Authors: Fussell, Holly E., Ph.D, Kunkel, Lynn E., M.S, Lewy, Colleen S., Ph.D, McFarland, Bentson H., M.D., Ph.D, McCarty, Dennis, Ph.D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior modification
Behavior Therapy - methods
Biological and medical sciences
Clinical trials
Clinical Trials as Topic - methods
Clinical Trials as Topic - standards
Clinical Trials Network
Confidentiality
Drug abuse
Drug addiction
Drug therapy
Female
Hawaii
Health insurance
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Health staff related problems. Vocational training
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Opioid-Related Disorders - rehabilitation
Oregon
Patient Simulation
Pilot Projects
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Research Design - standards
Research Personnel - standards
Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry
Standardized patient
Standardized patients
Substance abuse treatment
Substance-Related Disorders - rehabilitation
Therapy
United States
Walk-through
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Summary:Abstract This report describes a standardized patient (SP) walk-through to facilitate implementation of a clinical trial within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN). SPs are actors trained to portray a set of symptoms consistently across interactions with multiple clinicians. The Oregon/Hawaii Node of the CTN employed one SP to pilot participant screening processes in a study testing a combined pharmacological and behavioral therapy for women and men dependent on prescription opioid analgesics. The SP mimicked an individual seeking treatment and “walked” through study intake processes. Findings such as study staff members' inadequacy in describing issues of patient confidentiality and problems explaining the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act led to modifications to the clinical implementation of the study. Research coordinators and the staff found the use of an SP to be highly effective. The node is now making routine use of SPs in the implementation of CTN protocols.
ISSN:0740-5472
1873-6483
DOI:10.1016/j.jsat.2008.03.001