Real-life data on the empowerment of cardiac patients undergoing rehabilitation by using educational videos

Background/Introduction Active patient involvement in the rehabilitation process improves clinical outcomes. Empowered patients are more motivated during and after cardiac rehabilitation, regularly take their medication, and follow the recommendations given by medical professionals. Active involvement and participation increase patient’s active role in managing their health and rehabilitation process. Patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation may benefit from short educational videos sent by the rehabilitation center, enabling them to take a more active role in the empowerment process. Purpose To acknowledge patients’ active role in the empowerment process. Methods 31 consecutive cardiac patients involved in cardiac rehabilitation received 19 different short educational videos via emails during the whole duration of the second phase of the rehabilitation. The videos included information about risk factors, exercise, diet, smoking, traveling, and sexuality. After receiving all the educational videos, we investigated the number of patients who watched them and how the proportion of views changed over the course of six weeks. We utilized a combination of follow-up methods, including automatic return emails and telephone calls. Results A total of 31 patients, 5 women and 26 men, involved in cardiac rehabilitation were included in the pilot study. The mean age of the participants was 57 years. Among the 31 patients, 29 had coronary heart disease, 1 was with heart failure, and 1 with hypertensive heart disease. Out of 31 patients, 9 (29 %) watched all educational videos, 12 (39 %) watched some, and 10(32 %) did not watch any. Watching of the videos decreased over time, with the first videos being the most watched, but the number of views declined in the following weeks. However, 95% of the patients who watched at least some of the videos found the provided information useful, while 63% of the patients reported that they gained new knowledge from the videos. Additionally, 95% of the surveyed patients would recommend the videos to other patients involved in cardiac rehabilitation. Patients with higher education levels tended to watch more educational videos. Still, patients with medical backgrounds did not find the videos interesting due to their belief that they had all the necessary knowledge. Conclusion(s) Patients involved in cardiac rehabilitation benefit from watching short educational videos thus increasing their active role in the rehabilitation process. All the patients in the rehabilitation center received the same educational materials, information, and support from healthcare workers. However, the success of the empowerment process primarily depends on the patient's inner motivation, regardless of the educational opportunities they are given.