Impact of a telehealth intervention to augment home health care on functional and recovery outcomes of elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.
OBJECTIVE
This pilot study examined the effect of a home communication intervention (HCI) to augment home health care (HHC) on functioning and recovery outcomes of elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft.


METHODS
A randomized, experimental two-group (N = 50) repeated-measures design was used. Both HCI and control subjects received HHC, and the HCI group also received the 12-week HCI delivered by a telehealth device, the Health Buddy (Health Hero Network). The Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 measured physiologic and psychosocial functioning at baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months after surgery. Follow-up subject interviews ascertained self-report of postoperative problems and health care use.


METHODS
Subjects had an average age of 75.3 years and included males (56%) and females (44%).


RESULTS
By using repeated-measures analyses of covariance, covariating for the total number of HHC visits, HCI subjects, compared with the HHC group only, had a significantly higher adjusted mean general health functioning score (F = 8.41 [1, 36], P < .01). There were significant time effects on physical, role-physical, and mental health functioning, indicating that both groups improved over time. The groups reported similar postoperative problems; however, the control group had more emergency department visits than the HCI group.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings demonstrate the potential benefit of using an HCI to further augment outcomes of high-risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery referred to HHC after hospitalization.
Barnason
Susan
S
University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing-Lincoln Division, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0620, USA.
Zimmerman
Lani
L
Nieveen
Janet
J
Hertzog
Melody
M
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome