The Role of Informatics for CABG

The old adage, “a doctor that has himself for a patient has a fool for a doctor” is going by the wayside as more and more people rely on the internet for supporting health information technology regarding the diagnosis of chronic diseases. While not necessarily treating themselves, patients are relying heavily on medical websites like WebMD and disease-specific sites to provide additional medical information and reassurance on their condition. For people who suffer from coronary disease and are preparing for coronary artery bypass grafts, the internet can provide a wealth of information above and beyond what their healthcare provider has time to discuss with them. Coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG, is the process by where a doctor uses an artery from another part of the body to bypass a blocked artery in the heart (Jones, Velazquez, Michler, Sopko, Oh, O'Connor, Hill, Menicanti, Sadowski, Desvigne-Nickens, Rouleau, & Lee, 2009). Depending on the size and location of the blockage, the doctor ‘grafts’ the artery to the heart to allow unconstructed blood flow to continue (Jones et al, 2009). Patients about to go through this procedure, or those who have had this procedure, are understandably concerned about the process and the outcome for the surgery and will look to the internet for answers.

Informatics in healthcare provides patients with a wealth of information regarding different conditions. The actions of the patient online fall into 10 different categories of actions. At the most basic level, the patient employs a search engine to call up specifics regarding the disease (Ferguson, 2002). According to Ferguson, “Seventy-three million American adults currently use the Internet to look for information on their health concerns. Four out of five of their online sessions begin with a search engine. Patients give themselves online crash courses on their newly-diagnosed diseases and disorders” (2002). In the next level of internet interaction, patients reach out to their sphere of influence and query friends and family through email about their knowledge and experience with the disease (Ferguson, 2002). These inquisitions return a wealth of experience from trusted sources and can include additional websites along with personal experience or referral to a secondary source (Ferguson, 2002). Through internet searches and email contacts, the patient uses the internet to bolster their knowledge of the condition.

The use of informatics can improve patient outcomes in several different ways. First, informatics provides transparency to the medical process (Snyder, Wu, Miller, Jensen, Bantung, & Wolff, 2011). Through transparency, the patient no longer has to rely on the doctor as the sole source of wisdom and can build upon their knowledge through online informatics to become better educated and understand alternatives. Another benefit of informatics is the ability of the patient to engage and empower themselves in the process (Snyder et al, 2011). This is a critical psychological benefit because often patients with debilitating chronic diseases can feel that they are the victim of the disease. By better understanding the disease, the process, the outcomes, and the alternatives, the patient extends their power and control of the process. Finally, informatics allows family and friends to become informed and assist in the support of the patient (Snyder et al, 2011). This is also a critical step in the support and recovery of the patient and leads to a higher success rate (Snyder et al, 2011). One website with specific information on CABG is WebMD (n.d.). This website is the gold standard for self-diagnosis and additional information on a variety of conditions. The advantage of WebMD is that the information is presented in clean, simple language that most people can easily understand. Many times, the complex terms used by doctors can be intimidating and websites like WebMD help present the information in easily digested segments. Overall, informatics provides a valuable resource in the ongoing diagnosis and care of a patient and helps provide transparency, empowerment and support.

References

Ferguson, T., (September 2002). What e-patients do online: A tentative taxonomy. The Ferguson Report, 9. Retrieved from http://www.fergusonreport.com/articles/fr00904.htm

Jones, R., Velazquez, E.J., Michler, R.E., Sopko, G., Oh, J., O'Connor, C., Hill, J., Menicanti, L., Sadowski, Z., Desvigne-Nickens, P., Rouleau, J.L., Lee K.L., (April 23, 2009). Coronary Bypass Surgery with or without Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction. Journal of New England Medicine, 360. Retrieved from http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0900559#t=articleBackground

Snyder, C.F., Wu, A.W., Miller, R.S., Jensen, R.E., Bantung, E.T., Wolff, A.C., (July 1, 2011). The role of informatics in promoting patient-centered care. National Institute of Health, 17(4). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3146983/

Web MD, (n.d.). Heart Disease and Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/treating-coronary-artery-bypass