Managing the complex care needs of seriously ill patients transitioning from hospital to home can have detrimental effects on family caregivers (FCG). Multi-component interventions tailored to FCG needs are most effective at reducing caregiver burden, distress, and depression. However, gaps exist in determining best methods to assess, document, and analyze intervention components for FCGs. Common methods used to capture patient data during transitions in care may not be appropriate or allowed for FCG needs. As such, we present a methodological approach for electronically capturing, reporting, and analyzing multiple intervention components. This approach uses a standardized terminology and pathway for tailoring intervention components in real time while evaluating intervention effects across time. We use examples from a randomized controlled trial to illustrate the benefits of the current approach for analyzing the effectiveness of multi-component interventions in the context of caregiving research.
Keywords: SMART trials; data collection; family caregivers; fidelity; randomized controlled trials.