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Clinical Trial
. 2005 Jun;40(3):865-85.
doi: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2005.00389.x.

Just-in-time evidence-based e-mail "reminders" in home health care: impact on patient outcomes

Penny H Feldman  1 , Christopher M Murtaugh, Liliana E Pezzin, Margaret V McDonald, Timothy R Peng
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Just-in-time evidence-based e-mail "reminders" in home health care: impact on patient outcomes

Penny H Feldman et al. Health Serv Res. 2005 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the impact and cost-effectiveness of two information-based provider reminder interventions designed to improve self-care management and outcomes of heart failure (HF) patients.

Data sources/study setting: Interview and agency administrative data on 628 home care patients with a primary diagnosis of HF.

Study design: Patients were treated by nurses randomly assigned to usual care or one of two intervention groups. The basic intervention was an e-mail to the patient's nurse highlighting six HF-specific clinical recommendations. The augmented intervention supplemented the initial nurse reminder with additional clinician and patient resources.

Data collection: Patient interviews were conducted 45 days post admission to measure self-management behaviors, HF-specific outcomes (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-KCCQ), health-related quality of life (EuroQoL), and service use.

Principal findings: Both interventions improved the mean KCCQ summary score (15.3 and 12.9 percent, respectively) relative to usual care (p< or =.05). The basic intervention also yielded a higher EuroQoL score relative to usual care (p< or =.05). In addition, the interventions had a positive impact on medication knowledge, diet, and weight monitoring. The basic intervention was more cost-effective than the augmented intervention in improving clinical outcomes.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the positive impact of targeting evidence-based computer reminders to home health nurses to improve patient self-care behaviors, knowledge, and clinical outcomes. It also advances the field's limited understanding of the cost-effectiveness of selected strategies for translating research into practice.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patient Flow Diagram
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