Patient education self-management during surgical recovery: combining mobile (iPad) and a content management system.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this investigation was to assess whether a new electronic health (e-health) platform, combining mobile computing and a content management system, could effectively deliver modular and "just-in-time" education to older patients following cardiac surgery.


METHODS
Patients were provided with iPad(®) (Apple(®), Cupertino, CA) tablets that delivered educational modules as part of a daily "to do" list in a plan of care. The tablet communicated wirelessly to a dashboard where data were aggregated and displayed for providers.


RESULTS
A surgical population of 149 patients with a mean age of 68 years utilized 5,267 of 6,295 (84%) of education modules delivered over a 5.3-day hospitalization. Increased age was not associated with decreased use.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrate that age, hospitalization, and major surgery are not significant barriers to effective patient education if content is highly consumable and relevant to patients' daily care experience. We also show that mobile technology, even if unfamiliar to many older patients, makes this possible. The combination of mobile computing with a content management system allows for dynamic, modular, personalized, and "just-in-time" education in a highly consumable format. This approach presents a means by which patients may become informed participants in new healthcare models.
1 Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota.
David J
DJ
Cook
Anilga
A
Moradkhani
Kristin S Vickers
KS
Douglas
Sharon K
SK
Prinsen
Erin N
EN
Fischer
Darrell R
DR
Schroeder
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012648:Self Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014584:User-Computer Interface