Patients with heart conditions at Worthing and Southlands hospitals took part in a pilot study for an app designed to support their recovery and enhance their quality of life. The app provides a personalised exercise and support programme tailored to each patient’s individual needs.
At UHSussex, the cardiac rehabilitation team help patients to manage their heart condition and support them to get back to as full a life as possible after a heart attack, heart surgery or following a diagnosis such as heart failure.
As part of their cardiac rehabilitation programme, the team at Worthing and Southlands hospitals introduced the ‘myHeart’ app to patients with heart conditions in a pilot study aimed at addressing healthcare access inequalities through digital tools.
Sandra Dooley, Physiotherapist, explains: “It’s so important to enable our patients to access the care and advice they need quickly and easily to support their condition.
“This app allows patients to self-manage their condition when returning home and provides standard information about their health. Patients can record symptoms, monitor blood pressure, weight and activity levels at home, saving them time coming into hospital. Our team could then monitor patients through a dashboard and use the data given by patients to provide advice accordingly.”
During the one-year pilot, nearly 50% of patients successfully used the app to explore new ways of managing their heart health. Patients could watch educational videos to help reduce risk factors, such as quitting smoking using relaxation techniques.
Exercise programmes helped patients exercise at home who were unable to attend traditional classes and patients were able to link their smartwatch to the app to monitor activity levels and track their progress.
Sandra said: “Patients found that the app improved their confidence to take charge of their condition by following the treatment plan within the app. It has helped patients to get into the routine of checking their weight, which is especially important in heart failure management, and for monitoring their blood pressure.”
In July 2024, the team presented their findings at the Clinical Academics Conference and won the award for best oral presentation.
Having gained new funding, the team are now focussing on evaluating patient outcomes more comprehensively over the next year and are looking to work with other cardiac rehabilitation teams to assess additional digital services in the Trust.
This pilot project is demonstrating how digital healthcare tools can offer effective ways to improving patient care and is an example of how embracing technology can lead to significant advancements in managing long-term conditions.
This study aligns with UHSussex’s Research and Innovation Strategy, which outlines a five-year plan for advancing healthcare research and innovation to ensure excellent care for all patients in Sussex.