Patients'Communication of Rehab Outcomes via the Web

Res Ctr For Health Care Decision Making, Wyndmoor PA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This pilot project is the first step in validating an Internet application that has been designed to improve rehabilitation patients' health care self-efficacy through their post-discharge communication with their clinicians. The application consists of several interactive features on a secure web server. These include collection and transmittal of patients' self-reports of functional/health status and affective states (depression) to their clinicians prior to a visit; suggestions to improve patients' communication with clinicians and increase their participation in care during the visit; and links to authoritative Internet sites on health management for patients with disabilities and/or depression. It is well recognized that the Internet has great potential to change the way that health care is delivered, although there have been few attempts to link rehabilitation patients directly with their providers. The PIs will enroll patients discharged from in-patient rehabilitation at an academic medical center and two community-based rehabilitation facilities. Specific aims are, first, to determine usability for patients of an Internet application designed to collect and transmit information to their post-discharge clinicians on their self-reported functional/health status and affective states (depression), as well as to provide the patients with helpful information based on their responses to the items. This aim will be achieved using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including a thinking-aloud protocol and open- and close-ended questions. The project's second aim is to establish the test-retest reliability of the self-reported functional/health status and depression scales, after the application has been re-designed as appropriate based on findings for specific aim 1. The working hypothesis, suggested by preliminary data obtained from rehabilitation physicians, is that such an application can be used successfully by patients and can be helpful to both patients and clinicians. This project represents the first step in a larger program to evaluate the Internet application from the perspective of clinicians as well as patients, and to test the effects of the application on patient/clinician communication, clinicians' delivery of health care services, and patients' self-efficacy in their health care.