The Use of 4G Android Tablets for Enhanced Patient Activation of Chronic Disease Self-Management in People with Heart Failure

Judith Kutzle

doi:10.4172/2167-1168.1000158

Abstract

Problem The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of an advanced practice nurse-directed patient education approach to heart failure treatment integrating the use of an interactive 4G android tablet, will enable patients to experience enhanced patient activation and engagement in chronic disease self-management and fewer 30-day rereadmissions. Data source This was a prospective patient randomization, multi-center quasi-experimental design study of 50 patients comparing an advanced practice nurse-directed education of disease self-management and use of a 4G android tablet (TC) group (n = 25) and routine medical management (MC) group. The study length was 12 months. Conclusions Descriptive statistics were computed, and the intervention and control groups were compared for differences. Descriptive statistics using ANOVA was conducted to calculate for statistical significance of readmissions between the two groups at 30 days. T-tests showed that the 30-day readmissions rate was significantly lower for the tablet groups compared to the medical group at 30 days (8% and 28% respectively; P=0.010). Implications for Practice The results support that integrating 4G android tablet technology does have a significant impact on enhancing patient activation and engagement in chronic disease self-management and correlated to reduced 30-day readmissions in people with heart failure.

Highlights

Heart Failure (HF) is a major public health problem in the United States and is the most common discharge diagnosis in the population of people over 65 years
Descriptive statistics using ANOVA was conducted to calculate for statistical significance of readmissions between the two groups at 30 days
One fifth of Medicare beneficiaries discharged from a hospital are readmitted within 30 days; and 50% of patients with HF are readmitted within 6 months of discharge, with 70% of the rehospitalizations being related to worsening HF symptomatology [4]

Summary

Introduction

Heart Failure (HF) is a major public health problem in the United States and is the most common discharge diagnosis in the population of people over 65 years. The prevalence of heart failure continues to rise involving approximately 6.6 million Americans, with 550,000 newly diagnosed cases each year [1,2]. Because of the aging population and despite the successful treatment of underlying conditions that cause heart failure, such as coronary artery disease and hypertension, the number of people with heart failure continues to increase. The annual number of hospitalizations for the primary diagnosis of heart failure has increased from 800,000 to over 1 million over the last 20 years [3]. Heart failure is the most costly healthcare problem, with direct cost for diagnosis and treatment being approximately $39.2 billion in 2012 [1]. One fifth of Medicare beneficiaries discharged from a hospital are readmitted within 30 days; and 50% of patients with HF are readmitted within 6 months of discharge, with 70% of the rehospitalizations being related to worsening HF symptomatology [4]

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