Leap for Life: innovative patient education to optimize outcomes among patients with cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the Leap for Life cardiovascular risk factor education program based on outcome measurements of self-reported hospital readmission, goal achievement, satisfaction, and educational model preference.

Setting: Four hospitals and one senior center of Baylor Health Care System in the Dallas, Texas, area.

Design: Administration of a satisfaction questionnaire and resurvey of participants by telephone at 3, 6, and 12 months.

Patients: 161 patients with cardiovascular disease enrolled in the Leap for Life program during calendar year 1997. Patients were primarily male (59%), with an average age of 66 years; they had an average of 4 cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Results: Of the 152 participants who took part in the telephone follow-up, 19% reported a hospital admission with a cardiovascular diagnosis during the 12-month follow-up period. Twenty-one percent reported meeting all of their goals; 56%, some of their goals; and 23%, none of their goals. All stated that the educational sessions met their informational needs, and 75% preferred the Leap for Life setting over other educational settings. CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS: These data provide initial validation of the program and are being used as a starting point for another assessment that involves individualized health enhancement measures and 6- and 12-month follow-up of participants using a survey designed to assess readiness, lifestyle changes, and quality of life.

Figure 1

Risk factors reported by Leap for Life participants.

Figure 2

Readmission diagnoses for the 19% of Leap for Life participants admitted to the hospital within 1 year of their workshops.