Improving Patients’ Health Through Online Self-Management

A change in lifestyle can make all the difference for a patient who is at risk for cardiac disease, but behavioral changes are often not sustained over the long-term. Community Cardiovascular Hearts in Motion, with incorporation of the Wellness Record, is attempting to change that.

Community Cardiovascular Hearts in Motion (CCHIM) is a program serving people with heart disease and those at risk of developing it. With three community locations in the Halifax/Dartmouth area, CCHIM provides a multidisciplinary program – including components of nutrition, exercise, and risk factor management – to patients who have been referred to the clinic by their family physician.

“We were interested in learning whether an online tool could complement our program,” explains Dr. Nicholas Giacomantonio, Program Medical Director. “The Wellness Record provided a tool for our patients to track and improve their behaviour while giving the Hearts in Motion team an opportunity to better monitor patients and provide guidance and support between clinic visits.”

Though previous links have been suggested between online behaviour tracking and sustainable behaviour modification, the results were startling. In a typical intervention program, it is estimated that 30% of patients will stop exercising after six months and the majority will revert to previous eating habits, losing many of the benefits gained during the program. The addition of the Wellness Record helped counteract this trend. After three months, patient groups using the Wellness Record reported a change in their LDL of -8.9% and a change in weight of -2.5%. After six months, patient groups using the application reported a change in their LDL of -14.6% and showed a weight loss of 6.0%.

Not only did patient health continue to improve after leaving the clinic, but the results of patient groups using the Wellness Record far out performed patient groups who did not have access to the application.

“By encouraging people to track their activity and establish personal goals, the Wellness Record reinforces behaviour change,” says Wanda Firth, Program Manager. “The fact that we are continuing to see such results months after patients have left the program demonstrates the potential of online self-management – especially when used in conjunction with a clinical program.”