OUR TEAM
Barbara Riegel, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA
Primary Investigator
Joyce Wald, D.O.
Co-Investigator
Cardiologist
Gladys Thomas
Project Manager
Deb Gordan, MSS LCSW
Clinical Support Specialist
Miatta Goba
Research Coordinator
Jenna Garo, BSN RN
Research Assistant
Austin Matus, BSN RN
PhD Student @ Penn
Research Assistant
The research team started recruitment in the Fall of 2019. Along with the rest of the world, the research team faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020. Recruitment of caregivers and patients thus transitioned to an online/virtual process. Prior to COVID-19 caregivers and patients completed enrollment entirely in person. Adjusting for the unprecedented times, the research team and staff began recruiting and enrolling caregivers and patients virtually, over the phone. Along with collaboration with various PennMedicine teams such as the Heart Transplant Social Work Team, the team aims to reach their 250 participant enrollment goal by the end of October 2022!
• Caregivers 18 years and older who identified as informal caregivers of patients with heart failure within the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
• These caregivers include friends, spouses, children, etc. Patients were also eligible to join along with their caregiver, however, their caregiver had to enroll in the project first.
• Completion of screening and enrollment process done virtually, over the phone
• Random Assignment to intervention group:
(Health Information) or (Health Information + Health Coaching)
• 10 virtual health coach sessions (Health Coaching group.)
• Brief follow-up surveys at 3,6,9,12 months
• Caregivers receive a total of $200 on a ClinCard;
• $25 at completion of enrollment,
• $25 for completion of each follow-up (3,6, and 9 months)
• $100 for completion of 12-month follow-up