First app for heart disease education

Boston Scientific has launched the first iPad app to help healthcare professionals educate patients and carers about cardiovascular diseases and their treatment.

CardioTeach, available free of charge, provides an overview of normal heart function and the therapy options for atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart rhythm disorders and peripheral vascular disease.

The app’s accessible content and graphics (see picture) help the clinician to explain specific conditions and procedures used to treat them, helping patients and their families to make informed choices.

Healthcare providers can also use CardioTeach to mark up anatomical illustrations with cardiac devices, add notes to a page or attach graphics to an e-mail for the patient or carer.

The patient can receive personalised cardiovascular education anywhere, helping them to make decisions and understand compliance and adherence requirements.

“Most medical device apps are designed to educate physicians on a specific product or therapy, said Leslie Saxon, Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Southern California. “CardioTeach is unique because it lets clinicians better educate patients about their overall heart and vascular health and available treatment options.”

He added that CardioTeach gives patients “something they can reference after they leave my office and when thinking about or explaining what went on during the office visit,” as well as helping patients and their families “educate themselves prior to and between visits.”

Kenneth Stein, Boston Scientific’s Chief Medical Officer for Cardiac Rhythm Management, commented: “A recent study shows that one in five physicians use a tablet computer in their practice. Creating an app that enables healthcare professionals to use this technology to enhance communication with patients and caregivers is a logical extension of our efforts to empower patients with information about Boston Scientific’s therapies.”

Based in Massachusetts, USA, Boston Scientific is a global supplier of interventional medical devices.