Medical RehabilitationICARENCT07886021
Impact of Functional Rehabilitation on Digital Independence: Validation of a Novel Smartphone Use Score as an Indicator of Discharge Readiness in Medical Care and Rehabilitation.
A study testing TSHN-SMR (Test Standardisé d'Habileté Numérique sur Dispositif Dédié) and Barthel scale in people with Medical Rehabilitation, run by Artois Private Hospital.
Trial summary
Patients' independence in Medical Care and Rehabilitation (SMR) settings is typically assessed using functional scales such as the Barthel Index. However, these tools give little consideration to digital skills, which have become essential in everyday life (communication, access to healthcare, information seeking, and… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Medical Rehabilitation
- What is being tested?
- TSHN-SMR (Test Standardisé d'Habileté Numérique sur Dispositif Dédié) and Barthel scale
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 150 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 30 Oct 2026to 30 Sep 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 65 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Reason for admission: Any patient admitted to an SMR unit for a neurological condition (e.g., stroke or mild traumatic brain injury) or an orthopedic condition (e.g., joint replacement or fall-related injury) requiring functional rehabilitation.
- Ownership of a smartphone for at least 6 months prior to admission, to ensure that the assessment measures the recovery of previously acquired digital skills rather than the learning of a new device.
Who cannot join
- Major sensory impairment: Blindness or profound untreated hearing loss that makes smartphone use impossible.
- Pre-existing motor impairment: Advanced Parkinson's disease or severe digital osteoarthritis (deforming stage) that could bias the assessment of acute functional recovery.
- Cognitive impairment: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score < 20/30, as a score below 20 may indicate that the patient is unable to understand the simple instructions required to complete the test.
- Language barrier: Inability to understand instructions in French, unless the smartphone is configured in the patient's native language.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Patients' independence in Medical Care and Rehabilitation (SMR) settings is typically assessed using functional scales such as the Barthel Index. However, these tools give little consideration to digital skills, which have become essential in everyday life (communication, access to healthcare, information seeking, and administrative procedures).
The Digital Skills Score ("Score d'Habileté Numérique", TSHN-SMR) was developed to provide a simple and standardized assessment of a patient's ability to use a smartphone through several common tasks that simultaneously involve cognitive and motor functions.
This study aims to determine whether digital skills constitute a relevant and ecologically valid indicator of functional independence in rehabilitation patients. Ultimately, the TSHN-SMR could complement traditional assessment tools by providing a measure that more closely reflects activities actually performed in daily life within an increasingly digital environment.
- Conditions
- Medical Rehabilitation
- Being tested
- TSHN-SMR (Test Standardisé d'Habileté Numérique sur Dispositif Dédié), Barthel scale
- Keywords
- Numerical Score, Medical Rehabilitation Care, Autonomy, Digital
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
TSHN-SMR (Test Standardisé d'Habileté Numérique sur Dispositif Dédié)Other
Also called Standardized Test of Digital Skills on a Dedicated Device
The TSHN-SMR score (Standardized Test of Digital Skills on a Dedicated Device) is a proposed assessment tool that we aim to investigate in this study. The test is performed using a standardized smartphone provided by the rehabilitation unit and contains no personal digital data. The score comprises six domains:
- Immediate/procedural memory and motor skills
- Language, executive functions, and accuracy
- Planning and visual attention
- Fine motor skills and coordination
- Planning, temporal orientation, and fine motor skills
- Short-term memory and social recognition
For each domain, the patient is asked to complete a task on the smartphone corresponding to an activity they may be required to perform on their personal device in everyday life :
- Unlock a phone,
- Send a text message ,
- Search on the internet,
- Zoom on a personal photo,
- Set up an alarm,
- Call a contact , Patients may choose between an Android or iOS smartphone according to their usual device preference.
Barthel scaleOther
The Barthel Index is a validated measure of functional independence in activities of daily living. It assesses ten domains, including feeding, bathing, grooming, dressing, bowel and bladder control, toilet use, transfers, mobility, and stair climbing. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater independence. Widely used in rehabilitation settings, the Barthel Index provides a simple and reliable assessment of functional status and is commonly employed to monitor recovery and support discharge planning. (≈ 490 characters)
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Trial participants | Experimental | Digital technology use will be assessed at baseline using a self-reported question, allowing patients to be classified into one of three categories: regular, occasional, or infrequent users.
Patients will undergo two assessments during their stay in the Medical and Rehabilitation Care (SMR) unit: the Barthel Index and the TSHN-SMR (Standardized Test of Digital Skills on a Dedicated Device). Both assessments will be administered twice, first upon admission to the rehabilitation service and again at discharge, in order to evaluate changes in functional independence and digital skills over the course of rehabilitation. Receives: Other: TSHN-SMR (Test Standardisé d'Habileté Numérique sur Dispositif Dédié); Other: Barthel scale |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in TSHN-SMR Total Score Between Admission and Discharge
Change in digital skills performance measured by the TSHN-SMR (Standardized Test of Digital Skills on a Dedicated Device) between admission and discharge from the SMR unit.
Measured: Between admission and discharge from the SMR unit (average duration approximately 3 weeks, variable according to clinical condition)
Secondary outcomes (7)
Correlation between the TSHN-SMR score measured at discharge and the occurrence of rehospitalization within 3 months following discharge (
(binary outcome: yes/no) Rehospitalization will be defined as any unplanned admission to a healthcare facility within 3 months after discharge from the SMR unit. The primary reason for rehospitalization will be collected when available from the medical record.
Measured: Between admission and discharge from the SMR unit (average duration approximately 3 weeks, variable according to clinical condition)
Predictive performance of the discharge TSHN-SMR score,
Assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and estimation of the area under the curve (AUC).
Measured: Between admission and discharge from the SMR unit (average duration approximately 3 weeks, variable according to clinical condition)
Identification of a discharge TSHN-SMR score threshold
Identification of a discharge TSHN-SMR score threshold associated with an increased risk of rehospitalization.
Measured: Between admission and discharge from the SMR unit (average duration approximately 3 weeks, variable according to clinical condition)
Correlation between the TSHN-SMR score (at admission and/or discharge) and patient characteristics
Relationships between the TSHN-SMR score (at admission and/or discharge) and patient characteristics, including age, Barthel Index score, and level of digital technology use.
Measured: Between admission and discharge from the SMR unit (average duration approximately 3 weeks, variable according to clinical condition)
Inter-rater reliability of the TSHN-SMR score
Inter-rater reliability of the TSHN-SMR score, assessed by two independent evaluators.
Measured: Between admission and discharge from the SMR unit (average duration approximately 3 weeks, variable according to clinical condition)
Correlation between the TSHN-SMR score and the Barthel Index
Measured: Between admission and discharge from the SMR unit (average duration approximately 3 weeks, variable according to clinical condition)
Correlation between the TSHN-SMR score and the level of digital technology use
Measured: Between admission and discharge from the SMR unit (average duration approximately 3 weeks, variable according to clinical condition)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Oct 2026
- Study start30 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion30 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Sep 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Medical RehabilitationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Artois Private Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Jean Abou Ayache, MD, Principal investigator, Artois Private Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07886021
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2026-61-AAB
- Other IDs
- 2026-A01386-45
- Acronym
- ICARE
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No