title: eEduHeart I: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial Investigating the Effectiveness of a Cardiac Web-Based eLearning Platform - Rationale and Study Design.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiac telerehabilitation includes, in its most comprehensive format, telemonitoring, telecoaching, social interaction, and eLearning. The specific role of eLearning, however, was seldom assessed. The aim of eEduHeart I is to investigate the medium-term effectiveness of the addition of a cardiac web-based eLearing platform to conventional cardiac care.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, multicenter randomized, controlled trial, 1,000 patients with coronary artery disease will be randomized 1:1 to an intervention group (receiving 1-month unrestricted access to the cardiac eLearning platform in addition to conventional cardiac care) or to conventional cardiac care alone. The primary endpoint is health-related quality of life, assessed by the HeartQoL questionnaire at the 1- and 3-month follow-ups. Secondary endpoints include pathology-specific knowledge and self-reported eLearning platform user experience. Data on the eLearning platform usage will be gathered through web logging during the study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  eEduHeart I will be one of the first studies to report on the added value of eLearning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If the intervention is proven effective, current cardiac telerehabilitation programs can be augmented by including eLearning, too. The platform can then be used as a model for other chronic diseases in which patient education plays a key role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Frederix
authors.forename: Thijs
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vandenberk
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geurden
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandervoort
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dendale
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D016014:Linear Models; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000069350:Telerehabilitation / Q000379:methods*