Assessing patients' knowledge and skills after pharmaceutical consultations in interventional cardiology: A...

Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale or atrial septal defect is associated with procedural risks and requires optimal care management. Providing tailored educational support to patients may help to improve their safety and engagement in the care.

To observe the effect of pharmaceutical consultations on the knowledge and skills of patients undergoing percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale or atrial septal defect.

Multicentre meetings with healthcare professionals from university hospitals, as well as an expert patient, were organized to develop a patient-centred competency framework. Based on this framework, a consultation guide and information sheet were produced to support patients in acquiring key skills for managing their disease. A total of 31 patients were included in the study, 21 of whom attended both the preoperative and 6-month follow-up pharmaceutical consultations to assess changes in knowledge and skills. Patient satisfaction with the consultation and information sheet was evaluated.

The competency framework includes 89 skills for patients with patent foramen ovale and 92 for patients with atrial septal defect. This observational study showed an improvement in knowledge and skills between consultations. For example, knowledge regarding cardiac follow-up improved between the preoperative consultation and the 6-month follow-up, increasing from 3 to 9 (P<0.05). Most patients (90%) preferred to have the consultation before the procedure, as it reassured them and enhanced their engagement with care management. All patients expressed satisfaction with the educational tools provided.

Pharmaceutical consultations may support patients to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for safe and autonomous management of their medical devices after returning home.