Health education intervention for patients undergoing placement of percutaneous nephrostomy tube: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the economic impact (cost) on patients with a percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) tube. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Subjects and setting: The sample comprised 178 patients recruited between May 2017 and April 2019. The study setting was the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital located in Cantabria on the northern coast of Spain. Data were collected in the hospital's Radiology Department. Methods: Participants were randomly allocated to two groups; an intervention group received an educational intervention that specifically addressed living with a percutaneous nephrostomy tube, and a control group that received standard instruction. The intervention group received the educational intervention twice, before placement of the nephrostomy and at first tube change (6 weeks later). The main outcome variables were economic impact of the PCN, defined as unscheduled or urgent visits and health care costs related to PCN tube placement. Results: When compared to control group subjects, participants who received the educational intervention had fewer urgent (unscheduled) visits (1.9 vs. 4.0; p=0.004) and lower direct and indirect health care costs (reflecting a savings of €5.277 euros, approximately $6.257 US dollars). Conclusions: The health education intervention reduced costs associated with these additional visits when compared to patients receiving standard postprocedural education.