Patients were assigned an IBD-focused care coordinator who facilitated a symptom-based monitoring algorithm and supported patient navigation to complement usual care.

Participants in the usual care arm underwent symptom monitoring through regular push notifications to participants to complete a validated PRO instrument through the Epic EMR patient portal or telephone. These notifications were scheduled on a monthly basis. Results of the monthly PRO instrument were available to their treating IBD doctor with interventions at their discretion.

To explore whether our usual care arm was influenced by the monthly PRO measurements required for examination of our primary outcome, we compared IBD charges, total charges, ED visits, hospitalizations, and medication utilization at 12 months in the usual care arm to a passive control arm consisting of patients who met eligibility criteria, but were not enrolled in the intervention or usual care arms.

Patients randomized to the intervention arm were assigned an IBD-focused care coordinator who facilitated a symptom-based monitoring algorithm and supported patient navigation to complement usual care. Symptom monitoring was facilitated through regular push notifications to participants to complete a validated PRO instrument through the Epic EMR patient portal or telephone. These notifications were scheduled on a monthly basis. The IBD-focused care coordinator made two attempts to reach each participant using portal messaging, followed by a phone call to reduce non-response. PRO questionnaires were reviewed by the care coordinator and out of range scores triggered algorithm-based recommendations to the IBD specialist including stricter monitoring of disease activity, behavioral and medication adherence counseling, facilitation of expedited follow-up with treating providers, and referrals to social work, mental health, and gastroenterology-specific behavioral health services.

Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) measurements were administered on a monthly basis. The validated Crohn's (CD)-PRO or ulcerative colitis (UC)-PRO were used according to the patient's IBD type (Crohn's or ulcerative colitis).

Both the CD-PRO and UC-PRO are a set of standardized and validated instruments based on the Crohn's Disease Activity Index and Mayo Clinic Score respectively, which includes six domains: daily bowel movements, functional symptoms, systemic symptoms, daily coping, weekly life impact, and weekly emotional impact. Scores are calculated a composite score across all domains where a score of 0 represents no symptom activity and a score of 40 represents the highest possible symptom burden.

These were not two separate outcomes, rather two independent measurement instruments (scored on the same scale) specific to the patient's IBD-type to address the specific needs/concerns of the patients based on disease type.

extracted charges where IBD was the primary diagnosis over study period

all extracted charges over study period

extracted number of persons experiencing an ED visit over the study period

extracted number of persons experiencing hospitalization over the study period