title: A web-based, patient-centered toolkit to engage patients and caregivers in the acute care setting: a preliminary evaluation.
abstract: We implemented a web-based, patient-centered toolkit that engages patients/caregivers in the hospital plan of care by facilitating education and patient-provider communication. Of the 585 eligible patients approached on medical intensive care and oncology units, 239 were enrolled (119 patients, 120 caregivers). The most common reason for not approaching the patient was our inability to identify a health care proxy when a patient was incapacitated. Significantly more caregivers were enrolled in medical intensive care units compared with oncology units (75% vs 32%; P < .01). Of the 239 patient/caregivers, 158 (66%) and 97 (41%) inputted a daily and overall goal, respectively. Use of educational content was highest for medications and test results and infrequent for problems. The most common clinical theme identified in 291 messages sent by 158 patients/caregivers was health concerns, needs, preferences, or questions (19%, 55 of 291). The average system usability scores and satisfaction ratings of a sample of surveyed enrollees were favorable. From analysis of feedback, we identified barriers to adoption and outlined strategies to promote use.
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA adalal1@partners.org.
authors.forename: Anuj K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dalal
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Dykes
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Partners HealthCare, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa Soleymani
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Ronen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rozenblum
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stade
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McNally
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Constance R C
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Sucheta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ravindran
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mlaver
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.affiliation: Partners HealthCare, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Partners HealthCare, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Ravali
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kandala
authors.affiliation: Partners HealthCare, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Getty
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Partners HealthCare, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Bates
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000628:therapy; D017028:Caregivers; D003142:Communication; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: acute care patient portal; patient engagement technology; patient-centered care; patient-provider communication; patient/caregiver engagement