Digital pre-operative physiotherapy education for cardiac surgical patients

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are becoming frailer and more susceptible to post-operative complications. Pre-operative physiotherapy (PT) education can reduce the incidence of post-operative complications and is traditionally delivered face-to-face. Video education is a novel mode of pre-operative education which may improve the quality and efficiency of information delivery. This study evaluated the impact of implementing a PT pre-operative education video for cardiac surgical patients on 1) post-operative outcomes, 2) service efficiency, 3) patient satisfaction and information retention, and 4) video acceptability, appropriateness, and utility.

A video was developed to deliver standardised evidence-based pre-operative PT education at a specialist Australian cardio-thoracic hospital. It was progressively implemented into clinical practice from baseline face-to-face delivery of PT education (F2FPT); to a combination of video and PT (VIDPT); to video education only (VID). Outcomes were evaluated at each stage and included post-operative outcome data, service efficiency, patient satisfaction and information retention, and video acceptability, appropriateness, and utility.

Video implementation did not result in any negative post-operative clinical outcomes. Video education was more efficient to deliver, with a mean PT time saving of 17.7 (±4.9) minutes per patient. When surveyed, patients in the VIDPT group were more likely to remember pre-operative education (82%) than the F2FPT group (66%) (p = .110) and preferred the amount of time dedicated to video education compared to F2FPT (p = .041). During interviews, patients agreed that the video was useful, and that the content was relevant and appropriate.

A PT pre-operative education video for cardiac surgical patients can be implemented without compromising patient information recall or post-operative outcomes, and results in service efficiency benefits.