The main objective of this project is to develop and test a software package, featuring compact disc interactive (CD-I ) technology, that will be used to educate patients about cardiac catheterization and coronary angioplasty and thereby improve the patients' ability to give an informed consent for these procedures. Now that patients are more actively involved in their health care decisions, high quality patient education has become increasingly important. CD-I technology is ideally suited to education because it can be used to develop an audiovisual presentation that allows for patient interaction. In this way, highly individualized independent instruction is provided to a population with widely disparate backgrounds and needs. Hard copies can be printed and reviewed with the heath care provider upon completion of the program, allowing for more efficient use of patient conference time. Phase I of this project will develop and field test a prototype interactive compact disc (CD-ROM) to fully inform patients who are referred for catheterization procedures. In Phase I the aims are to (1) develop the interactive program design and produce a CD-ROM, and (2) field test the prototype. In Phase II the prototype will be further developed and refined.
Potential commercial applications include HMOs, hospitals, physician offices, and cardiac catheterization laboratories.
