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Effectiveness of transitional care interventions in patients with serious illness and their caregivers: a systematic review protocol.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of transitional care interventions for seriously ill patients and their caregivers.


INTRODUCTION
Seriously ill patients and their caregivers may have complex health and social care needs that require services from numerous providers across multiple sectors. Transitional care interventions have been designed to enhance a collaborative approach among providers to facilitate the care transition process. However, the effectiveness of transitional care interventions for seriously ill patients, their caregivers, and the effects of such interventions on their outcomes remain unclear.


INCLUSION CRITERIA
Randomized controlled trials with adult patients (≥18 y old) with serious illness and their caregivers involved in transitional care programs will be considered for inclusion. The patients' outcomes will include mortality and/or survival, symptoms (eg, pain, nausea), and health-related quality of life. The caregivers' outcomes will include caregiver burden, preparedness, and well-being.


METHODS
The JBI methodology for systematic reviews of effectiveness evidence will be followed. The search strategy aims to locate published and unpublished studies. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, will be systematically searched from 2003 to the present. Studies in English, Italian, Spanish, French, and German will be included. Critical appraisal and data extraction will be conducted using standardized tools. Quantitative data will be pooled in statistical meta-analysis or, if statistical pooling is not possible, the findings will be reported narratively. Certainty of the evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE).


SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER
PROSPERO CRD42022319848.