HeartCareII: patients' use of a home care web resource

In a six-month randomized field experiment our team evaluated the impact of a technology-enhanced practice (TEP) model compared to the usual care delivered by home care nurses. Research staff provided computers and technical assistance; home care visit nurses trained patients in the use of the components of the HeartCareII website most relevant to their care needs. The purpose of this paper is to explore participant exposure to the web-based HeartCareII resources, the technical core of the TEP. To assess exposure to the HeartCareII resources we counted logins, the number of accesses to the system, over each participant's study period. We determined that more logins occurred during the first four weeks of the participants' time in the study, with 50 percent continuing to logon after 4 weeks. The number of participants accessing the system declined during the ensuing weeks to approximately one-third at eight weeks; almost 15 percent consistently logged in throughout their 24-week course in the experiment. This pattern of exposure to such web-based resources is consistent with findings of prior studies; it may support an episodic need for health resources in the home based on changing health demands.