Bonding Bundle for Physician-Patient Relationships

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Karen E Fowler, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Michigan

Disqualifiers: Cognitively impaired, Unable to consent, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

3624 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests new strategies, called the M-Well Bonding Bundle, to determine if they can increase doctors' empathy toward hospitalized patients. One group of doctors will use these strategies, while another will continue with usual care. Researchers aim to discover if patients perceive their doctors as more understanding when these strategies are applied. Doctors working with hospitalized patients can participate, while patients must be adults who can speak English and provide consent. As an unphased trial, this study allows patients to contribute to improving doctor-patient relationships and enhancing hospital care experiences.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether patients need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that these intervention strategies are safe for improving doctor-patient relationships?

Research has shown that the M-Well Bonding Bundle aims to improve the relationship between doctors and patients. No specific reports of negative effects or side effects exist because the study focuses on behaviors and interactions, not medical treatments. As a "Not Applicable" phase study, it does not test a drug or device, which typically have more safety concerns. Instead, the goal is to determine if the suggested strategies can enhance empathy and communication between doctors and patients. Consequently, there are minimal safety risks for both doctors and patients participating in this study. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Bonding Bundle because it aims to enhance the physician-patient relationship, which is crucial for improving healthcare outcomes. Unlike typical interactions where doctors follow standard visiting routines, this approach encourages doctors to use specific strategies designed to foster better communication and trust. By focusing on the interpersonal aspect of care, the Bonding Bundle has the potential to improve patient satisfaction and adherence to medical advice, which are often overlooked in traditional care models. This trial could reveal important insights into how relationship-building impacts patient recovery and overall experience in a hospital setting.

What evidence suggests that the Bonding Bundle intervention strategies could improve physician-patient relationships?

Research shows that improving the doctor-patient relationship can enhance patient care. Studies have found that when doctors use specific methods to connect with patients, feelings of empathy and trust increase. These methods might involve small changes in communication and behavior. Early findings suggest that patients feel more understood and valued when doctors apply these techniques. This can lead to better health outcomes, as patients are more likely to follow medical advice. In this trial, the M-Well Bonding Bundle is being tested as an intervention to strengthen the doctor-patient relationship using these strategies. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Sanjay Saint, MD

Principal Investigator

University of Michigan

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for attending physicians treating hospitalized medical patients and their adult patients who can consent. It excludes surgical attendings, residents, those with cognitive impairments, or non-English speakers.

Inclusion Criteria

Patient of an enrolled physician in the study

Attending physicians caring for hospitalized medical patients

I am an adult currently in the hospital.

Exclusion Criteria

Residents

Cognitively impaired

Surgical attendings

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Doctors in the intervention arm use suggested strategies to improve interactions with patients during their 2-week work rotation.

2 weeks

Daily interactions during hospital rounds

Control

Doctors in the control arm conduct rounds as usual without using intervention strategies.

2 weeks

Daily interactions during hospital rounds

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for the effectiveness of the intervention through surveys and interviews.

2-4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• M-Well Bonding Bundle

Trial Overview The study tests 'Bonding Bundle' strategies to see if they improve doctor empathy and patient perceptions of this empathy. Doctors will either use these strategies or continue standard care, and both doctors and patients will be surveyed.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Bonding Bundle Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Doctors in the intervention arm will be asked to use suggested approaches while meeting with their hospitalized patients. The goal of these strategies is to improve the relationship and interactions between patients and physicians.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Doctors in the control arm will be asked to visit with their patients as they would normally.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Michigan

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,891

Recruited

6,458,000+

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Collaborator

Trials

415

Recruited

6,777,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Well-constructed practice guidelines can significantly enhance the quality of care and reduce costs by addressing issues of overuse, yet current investment in developing these guidelines is minimal.

To effectively implement these guidelines, practitioners may need incentives such as reimbursement rewards, performance data publication, and liability recognition to encourage adherence and improve quality outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving quality of care with practice guidelines. Chassin, MR.[2007]

Improving patient adherence to treatment can be achieved through practical interventions such as enhancing patient education about their regimens and simplifying treatment plans to reduce costs and complexity.

Building strong provider-patient relationships and involving patients in their treatment decisions through contracts and incentives can significantly boost compliance rates.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Strategies for enhancing patient compliance. Becker, MH., Maiman, LA.[2022]

Disseminating research findings to healthcare providers, particularly physicians, often results in only modest changes in their behavior, which is crucial for improving patient care.

Effective strategies for promoting behavior change include face-to-face interactions, active involvement of learners, repetition of messages, and leveraging opinion leaders, highlighting the need for more research on healthcare providers' motivations and decision-making processes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dissemination of effectiveness and outcomes research. Kanouse, DE., Kallich, JD., Kahan, JP.[2019]

In a study observing 18 family medicine practices over 4 to 12 weeks, it was found that providers who personally selected and maintained a small number of patient education materials used them more effectively than those relying on a larger, shared library.

The research highlighted that provider involvement and familiarity with educational materials are crucial for their effective use, suggesting that a tailored approach to patient education may enhance communication and patient understanding.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The organization and distribution of patient education materials in family medicine practices. McVea, KL., Venugopal, M., Crabtree, BF., et al.[2007]

The MyJointReplacement.ca website effectively integrates patient and provider perspectives on joint replacement care, leading to increased knowledge among over 80% of surveyed patients.

A significant majority of providers (80%) indicated they would align their practices with the website's findings, suggesting that the site reflects best practices in joint replacement care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patient education as a strategy for provider education and engagement: a case study using myJointReplacement.ca. Saryeddine, T., Levy, C., Davis, A., et al.[2019]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06354920?term=physician%20patient%20AND%20(relations%20OR%20communication)&aggFilters=status:not%20rec&rank=1

M-Well Bonding Bundle to Improve Patient-Physician ... The goal of this study is to test an intervention to improve the relationship between patients and doctors, specifically whether small adjustments to a doctor's ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-physician-patient-relations-3-2024-51bbc

Bonding Bundle for Physician-Patient Relationships What data supports the effectiveness of the M-Well Bonding Bundle treatment? The research on patient education and provider engagement, such as the ...

3. peearz.com peearz.com/trialsindex?nctid=NCT06354920

M-Well Bonding Bundle to Improve Patient-Physician ... The goal of this clinical trial is to learn more about the interaction between a patient in the hospital and their treating doctor. A good relationship ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4732308/

Impact of the Doctor-Patient Relationship - PMC The doctor-patient relationship involves vulnerability and trust. It is one of the most moving and meaningful experiences shared by human beings.

5. bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-025-12858-8

Enhancing patient-provider relationships with a whole person ... This paper identifies provider characteristics, across medical specialties, that facilitate a healing pathway model for patients.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9776535/

Patient Trust in Physicians Matters—Understanding the Role ... This study aimed to empirically investigate whether and how a mobile patient education system (MPES) juxtaposed with patient trust can increase patient ...

7. saferbirth.org saferbirth.org/patient-safety-bundles/

Patient Safety Bundles For Safer Birth | AIM Patient Safety Bundles are a structured way of improving the processes of care and patient outcomes. Patient safety bundles are collections of ...