Posthospitalization Follow-Up of Patients With Heart Failure Using eHealth Solutions: Restricted Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Digital Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) presents significant patient burdens and high readmission risks.
• eHealth interventions are crucial for post-hospitalization HF patient care, supporting self-care and quality of life (QoL).
• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for remote patient monitoring and digital health solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the content and delivery of eHealth interventions for post-hospitalization HF care.
• To explore patient adherence to these digital health interventions.
• To examine the effects of eHealth on HF patient self-care, QoL, and readmission rates.

Main Methods:

• A restricted systematic review adhering to PRISMA-S guidelines.
• Searches of CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases (2015-2020).
• Thematic analysis of 18 included studies, assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

Main Results:

• 16 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focused on eHealth interventions for HF patients post-discharge.
• Interventions included telemonitoring, interactive voice response, and patient education, with adherence rates of 72%-99%.
• eHealth interventions positively impacted QoL, but effects on self-care and readmissions were less clear.

Conclusions:

• Prompt post-hospitalization follow-up is essential for heart failure patients.
• eHealth interventions demonstrate potential for enhancing HF patient QoL and adherence.
• Further investigation is required to clarify the impact of eHealth on HF self-care and readmissions.