title: Effectiveness of an interactive platform, and the ESC/HFA heartfailurematters.org website in patients with heart failure: design of the multicentre randomized e-Vita heart failure trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Electronic health support (e-health) may improve self-care of patients with heart failure (HF). We aim to assess whether an adjusted care pathway with replacement of routine consultations by e-health improves self-care as compared with usual care. In addition, we will determine whether the ESC/HFA (European Society of Cardiology/Heart Failure Association) website heartfailurematters.org (HFM website) improves self-care when added to usual care. Finally, we aim to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A three-arm parallel randomized trial will be conducted. Arm 1 consists of usual care; arm 2 consists of usual care plus the HFM website; and arm 3 is the adjusted care pathway with an interactive platform for disease management (e-Vita platform), with a link to the HFM website, which replaces routine consultations with HF nurses at the outpatient clinic. In total, 414 patients managed in 10 Dutch HF outpatient clinics or in general practice will be included and followed for 12 months. Participants are included if they have had an established diagnosis of HF for at least 3 months. The primary outcome is self-care as measured by the European Heart Failure Self-care Behaviour scale (EHFScB scale). Secondary outcomes are quality of life, cardiovascular- and HF-related mortality, hospitalization, and its duration as captured by hospital and general practitioner registries, use of and user satisfaction with the HFM website, and cost-effectiveness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will provide important prospective data on the impact and cost-effectiveness of an interactive platform for disease management and the HFM website.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  unique identifier: NCT01755988.
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary care, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kim P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Wagenaar
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary care, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Berna D L
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Broekhuizen
authors.affiliation: University of Bergen, Stavanger University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dickstein
authors.affiliation: Linköping University, Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tiny
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jaarsma
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary care, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arno W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Hoes
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary care, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frans H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Rutten
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D020407:Internet; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Heart Failure; Hospitalization; Mortality; Self-care; Telemedicine