Primary Health Care System
RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Applied Health Research Questions

Promoting the continuum of care following heart surgery: A systematic review of web-based educational interventions
Suzanne Fredericks, Geraldine Martorella, Cristina Catallo, Erone Newman

Background:
A compliment to in-hospital educational interventions is web-based patient education accessed during the home discharge period. In particular, this type of intervention provides a means through which nurses can communicate with patients outside of the healthcare arena. Evidence suggests patients who received educational materials via the internet reported better outcomes, than patients who received educational interventions delivered using other media. While findings demonstrate the effects of web-based patient education interventions on patient outcomes, they fall short of elucidating the characteristics of these interventions that are associated with desired outcomes. Knowledge of the most effective educational interventions’ approach, mode of delivery, and dose will direct the design and implementation of similar web-based educational interventions; as well as the creation of guidelines for improving the prevention of complications during the immediate home recovery following heart surgery.

This systematic review was conducted to address the clinically relevant question: What is the most effective approach, mode, and dose of CABG and/or VR web based patient education interventions associated with producing changes in self-care behaviours?

Method:
A systematic review involving 23 studies was conducted to determine the most effective components of a web-based intervention. Results: Findings indicate the most effective means for providing web-based patient education is by allowing the patient to individualize the educational content.

Implications/conclusion:
The more interactive the program, the more likely the study participant will engage in it. As well, training prior to the use of the system has been shown to enhance outcomes related to self-care behaviour performance, complications, and hospital readmission rates.

Key Messages:
* based on preliminary examination of literature*
Web-based educational interventions needs to be carefully designed to take into account the “components” of the intervention that have demonstrated statistical significance scheduling demands were noted as key barriers to sustainable integrated care.

Back to Applied Health Research Questions