The development and feasibility of a virtual heart failure clinic

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) self-management includes monitoring and reporting of changes in symptoms. We have explored the feasibility of an interactive, easy-to-use Web-based system that provides a link between the patient and the health professional. New HF clinic patients were enrolled into a six-month study. Patients were identified according to their ability to use the Internet daily and whether they would be able to complete baseline and follow-up visits. In the first 12 months, nine patients completed the study. There was an improvement in physical functioning as measured with the 6–min walk test, from 395 m (SD 105) to 457 m (SD 90). There was also an improvement in quality-of-life scores, from 47 (SD 29) to 40 (SD 26) (the lower the score, the better). Patients expressed high levels of satisfaction with the intervention. The system was shown to be safe and feasible when used with appropriate supports. The virtual HF clinic is simple, cheap and has potential for use in a range of chronic illnesses.