Research

EngagedMD used to study efficacy in communicating patient risks

EngagedMD was featured in a study which set out to analyze how effectively a multimedia platform can help patients to understand risks.

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Objective:

To study patient and provider feedback on how a multimedia platform (EngagedMD) helps patients to understand the risks and consequences of in vitro fertilization (IVF), ovulation induction (OI), and intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatments and the impact of the informed consent process.

Design:

Prospective survey study. Setting: IVF units in the United States. Patient(s): Six-thousand three-hundred and thirty-three patients who viewed the multimedia platform before IVF or OI-IUI treatment at 13 U.S. IVF centers and 128 providers. Intervention(s): Quantitative survey with 17 questions. Main Outcome Measure(s): Assessment of the impact of a multimedia platform on patient anxiety, comprehension, and satisfaction and provider/nurse feedback related to the informed consent process.

Result(s):

The survey was completed by 3,097 respondents (66% IVF treatment; 34% OI-IUI treatment) and 44 providers. Overall, 93% felt the media platform was intuitive, and 90% and 95% felt it had appropriate duration and detail, respectively. Most agreed/strongly agreed it better prepared them to consent (88%), increased their comfort in pursuing treatment (77%) and increased their satisfaction with their care (83%). Compared with the OI-IUI group, statistically significantly more participants who viewed the IVF media platform strongly agreed that the comprehension questions reinforced key concepts (47% vs. 40%), educated them about treatment risks (55% vs. 44%), helped them ask providers informed questions (45% vs. 36%), and better prepared them to sign consent forms (46% vs. 37%). Overall, 63% of providers felt that the media platform improved patient learning, made patients more accountable, and standardized information dissemination.

To quote the study results,

"A total of 3,097 patients/partners (49% of 6,333 survey questionnaires) who completed the multimedia platforms and answered the five key questions were analyzed, comprising 2,046 (66%) IVF modules and 1,051 (34%) OI-IUI treatment modules. Because this study did not track the respondents' progress through medical treatment, including whether they ultimately completed an ART procedure, it is unknown how many or which patients who completed the platform and the survey did not complete a cycle. The completed surveys included 1,554 (50%) respondents whose partners did not take the survey and 1,543 (50%) respondents who completed the survey with their partner. In general, the majority of respondents—3,056 (99%) of 3,097—felt that being properly informed about their care was either important or very important.

Overall, 2,472 (93%) of 2,661 patients felt the multimedia platform was intuitive to use, 2,421 (90%) of 2,699 thought it was of an appropriate length, and 2,553 (95%) of 2,699 found it to have an appropriate level of detail. In addition, 2,382 (89.4%) of 2,663 patients stated that the comprehension questions helped reinforce key concepts. Also, 2,946 (96%) of 3,097 respondents liked learning about IVF or OI-IUI treatment from the multimedia platform, and 3,001 (97%) of 3,097 participants felt its videos were a helpful addition to consultations with their medical team; 1,528 (49%) of 3,097 participants felt it answered many questions that they otherwise would have asked, and 1,390 (45%) of 3,097 found that it answered one or a few questions. Furthermore, 2,323 (86%) of 2,693 patients agreed or strongly agreed that the multimedia platform better prepared them to sign consent documents, 530 (77%) of 686 agreed or strongly agreed that it made them more comfortable pursuing treatment, and 2,229 (83%) 2,691 agreed or strongly agreed that it improved their satisfaction with their care."

Conclusion(s):

The EngagedMD media platform improves patient knowledge, satisfaction, and control over medical decision making and better prepares patients to give informed consent. Furthermore, it is well-liked by providers and is easily implemented. (Fertil Steril 2018;110:1338–46. 2018 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)

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