Understanding the VIGILANT Trial Results
The VIGILANT trial looked at ways to help more patients with liver disease attend regular check-ups for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a serious type of liver cancer. Here’s what we found:
What Worked?
- Sending personalized mail invitations to patients improved the number of people attending their appointments.
- When patients also received a phone call reminder from a patient navigator (PN), attendance rates increased even more.
What Didn’t Work?
- Simply sending mail invitations without follow-up calls did not significantly boost attendance compared to the combined approach.
How This Helps Patients and Clinics
- More patients attending their appointments means earlier detection of HCC, which can lead to better treatment outcomes.
- Clinics can improve their patient engagement strategies to ensure more patients benefit from regular check-ups.
Real-World Opportunities
- Hospitals can implement mailed invitations and follow-up calls to encourage patients to attend surveillance appointments.
- Doctors can work with patient navigators to provide support and information to patients who may have barriers to attending appointments.
Measurable Outcomes to Track
- Attendance rates at surveillance appointments before and after implementing the new strategies.
- Number of early-stage HCC diagnoses among patients who attended surveillance appointments.
- Cost-effectiveness of using patient navigators compared to standard care.
AI Tools to Consider
- AI scheduling tools can help remind patients of their appointments and send follow-up messages.
- Patient engagement platforms can analyze data to identify patients who may need additional outreach.
Step-by-Step Plan for Clinics
- Start by sending personalized mail invitations to patients who need surveillance for HCC.
- Introduce a patient navigator to follow up with a phone call to remind patients about their appointments.
- Track attendance rates and early diagnoses to evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies.
- Gradually expand the program based on feedback and results, potentially involving more patients and refining the approach.
For more detailed information about the study, you can read the full research article here.
