Including the patient in patient blood management: Development and assessment of an educational animation tool

🎓 Citation Information:

• Author(s): Sumedha Arya, Tracy Xiang, Grace H. Tang, Katerina Pavenski
• Title: Including the patient in patient blood management: Development and assessment of an educational animation tool
• Journal/Source: Transfusion
• Publication Year: 2023
• Pages: 1488–94
• DOI/URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.17458 ↗
• Affiliation: Various institutions in Canada

🌌 Contextual Insight:

• In a Sentence: The study developed an animated educational video for preoperative patients to learn about patient blood management and evaluated its effectiveness through a post-viewing survey.
• Keywords: patient blood management, patient engagement, patient education, health animation, preoperative care

• Gap/Need: Existing PBM patient education materials were predominantly text-heavy pamphlets, while engaging animations could be more effective.
• Novelty: To our knowledge, this is the first PBM-specific patient education animation. It evaluated animation’s potential for improving patients’ understanding and involvement in their care.
• Target Audience: Preoperative surgical patients and their caregivers seeking to better understand anemia treatment options.
• Jargon Density: Relatively easy to understand for a lay audience, avoiding medical jargon.
• Recommendation: Recommended for novice to intermediate readers interested in improving patient education tools.

🧭 Purpose/Objective:

• Goal: Develop and assess the effectiveness of an animated educational tool to educate preoperative patients about patient blood management (PBM).
• Research Questions/Hypotheses: Does an animated video improve patients’ understanding of anemia and PBM interventions compared to text-based materials? Would it increase patient activation and confidence to follow their PBM plan?
• Significance: Prior studies demonstrate benefits of PBM programs and patient activation on health outcomes. Yet patient engagement remains relatively understudied within PBM.

🎓 Background Knowledge:

• Core Concepts: PBM, anemia, preoperative care, patient engagement, patient activation
• Preliminary Theories: Benefits of PBM programs in reducing morbidity/mortality. Role of patient knowledge and participation in managing their own health conditions.
• Contextual Timeline: Establishment of Ontario’s ONTraC PBM coordination program and demonstrated effectiveness over 20 years.
• Prior Research: Meta-analyses linking preoperative anemia to worse postoperative outcomes. Studies showing comprehensive PBM programs lower transfusion need and mortality.
• Terminology: PBM, anemia, patient activation, ONTraC
• Essential Context: COVID-19 impacted surgical volumes and some patient demographics during study period.

📝 Methodology:

• Research Design & Rationale: Quality improvement study using survey to evaluate educational animation tool. Built upon proven benefits of stories and animation for patient education.
• Participants/Subjects: 51 preoperative patients at academic Toronto hospital, recruited via PBM nurses.
• Instruments/Tools: Animated video, post-viewing electronic survey.
• Data Collection: Patients watched video independently then completed anonymous survey.
• Data Analysis Techniques: Descriptive statistics for survey responses.
• Ethical Considerations: Waived as quality improvement study. Patients provided optional email/feedback.
• Comparison to Standard: Standard recruitment/consent but novel educational animation assessment approach.
• Replicability Score: 8/10 as animation development details provided but external validation needed.

📊 Main Results/Findings:

• Metrics defined: understanding, preferences, confidence in PBM plan
• Tables/Graphs: Figures 2-3 displaying demographics and survey responses
• Outcomes: Majority found video easy to understand, educational, and improved PBM knowledge. Felt more confident in ability to follow plan.
• Data & Code Availability: Survey data and animation link provided for reference.
• Statistical Significance: Not reported as descriptive study.
• Unintended Findings: None reported.

🔄 Discussion & Interpretation:

• Authors’ Views: Education animation approach seemed appropriate and well-received by patients.
• Comparative Analysis: Addresses gaps in existing PBM education tools. Aligns with benefits of stories and multimedia shown in prior work.
• Contradictions: None found.

❌ Limitations:

• Study weaknesses: Small sample, single center, self-selected participants
• Mitigations: Acknowledged need for broader dissemination and evaluation across divers patient profiles.

🖋️ Conclusions:

• Takeaways: Patients found educational animation approach engaging and effective for PBM learning.
• Practical Implications: Inspire other hospitals to implement similar educational animations to empower patients.
• Potential Impact: Improving PBM literacy could ultimately enhance outcomes through increased patient involvement.

🚀 Future Work:

• Authors’ Proposals: Incorporate tool across ONTraC sites. Assess impact on transfusion rates/outcomes longitudinally. Translate for wider/less literate audiences.

📚 References: Several seminal PBM studies referenced to establish need and prior evidence.

🎯 Relevance:

• Significance: Highlights educational strategies to engage patients as partners through comprehension of their care options.
• Real-world Implications: Broader application could empower more populations through multimedia explanations of complex health topics.

🌐 Textual Mind Map:

• Main Branches: Introduction, Background, Methodology, Results, Discussion, Conclusions, Future Work
• Central Ideas:
  • PBM definition
  • Need for patient education
  • Animation development process
  • Survey results
  • Positive reception
  • Call to implement approach more widely
• Significant Facts:
  • First PBM animation
  • 94% felt activating role important
  • 92% understood anemia treatment better
• Key Arguments:
  • Gap in existing education materials
  • Animation can improve understanding vs text
  • Approach inspires improved patient involvement
• Interconnections: Relationship between comprehension, engagement, outcomes reinforced across sections

🌟 Key Quotes:

“Patient blood management (PBM) programs are effective at reducing transfusion-associated mortality and morbidity; however, patient engagement within the realm of PBM remains relatively unstudied.”
“Patients enjoyed learning about PBM though animation, and patient education may lead to better uptake of PBM interventions.”

🧠 Personal Insights/Comments:

• Opinions: Novel approach with strong potential to enhance health communication if validated at broader scale.
• Questions: What techniques most effectively assess impact on real outcomes over time? How to reach lowest literacy groups?
• Cross-References: Relates to growing emphasis on shared medical decision making and adapting education tools. Shows animation potential beyond entertainment.