Background: Although many older adults will be hospitalized in their lifetime, most do not consider or plan ahead for their post-hospitalization support needs. When older adults experience a hospitalization, families often must react to the crisis leaving the older adult out of the decision process (e.g. choosing a skilled nursing facility, caregivers). With PCORI funding, we developed PlanYourLifespan.org (PYL) as a free, national website that enables older adults and families to understand and plan for their post-hospital support needs, prior to ever being hospitalized. Results from a randomized controlled trial (n=400) showed users of PYL had improved knowledge of post-hospital discharge options, access of post-hospital services, and plan communication.1,2
Methods: Implementation Strategy: We received additional PCORI funding to disseminate PYL with patient partners. Using a train-the-trainer strategy, each original PCORI community partner trained additional patient partners to disseminate PYL.org. New partners then performed dissemination activities (e.g. church groups, coffees, presentations) during a 3-month period in their communities in hard-to-reach/diverse populations – specifically African-American, Pacific Islanders, rural, and urban – in Chicago, Indiana, and Hawaii (Kauai, Maui, and Oahu). Evaluation: New partners tracked and reported dissemination activities with locations and dates. Using Google analytics, we tracked newly created PYL.org accounts, logged-in sessions, and daily visitors.
Results: Dissemination by 5 newly-trained community partners occurred between Aug-Dec 2018. Analytics showed on the day of the dissemination activity, there were 11,361 log-in sessions (ave: 378.7 log-ins/event day) where users logged in using their unique accounts. One-week after the dissemination activity, 89,068 log-ins were registered (ave: 2,969 log-ins/activity week), and 319,154 log-ins (ave: 10,638 log-ins/activity month) 1-month after dissemination activity. Cumulatively, on the day-of dissemination activities, 89,562 website visitors (ave: 2,985.4 visitors/activity day) were registered.
Conclusions: By leveraging patient partners, PlanYourLifespan.org was and continues to be widely disseminated, helping older adults with post-hospital discharge planning, prior to ever being hospitalized. Researchers should consider partnering with patients to help with dissemination activities. EPIC systems has linked to PlanYourLifespan.org in their MyChart resources page. PYL.org continues to be used and nationally disseminated, largely due to the strength of our patient partners.