The impact of a computer-based, interactive education program on patient satisfaction

Financial pressures and an increasingly diverse patient population have made it challenging for healthcare providers to administer education programs that adequately inform patients prior to any significant health-related intervention. Ineffective education results in patients making decisions without adequate knowledge which could increase anxiety and frustration and reduce patient satisfaction with the healthcare experience. Interactive, computer-based education (ICBE) programs may offer providers a solution that will enhance their education processes. ICBE programs require fewer resources; can be scripted in multiple languages; and have the power to actively engage the patient in the learning experience by integrating auditory, visual, and interactive learning strategies. The objective of this research was to determine if ICBE program use influenced hospital patients’ perception of satisfaction. The research was conducted at a small hospital located in a Midwest urban setting. The 84 patients scheduled for knee and hip surgery who volunteered to enroll were randomly assigned to either a treatment group that used the ICBE program or a control group. All patients completed a satisfaction survey instrument after their surgery. A t test indicated that there was not a significant mean difference between the treatment and control groups t(71) = 1.001, p = .16. In addition, the individual predictor variables used in a regression analysis, Age (R 2 = .005), College Degree (R2 = .003), and Use of the Emmi program (R2 = .011) and the combined model (R2 = .019) did not provide any meaningful predictive value related to patient satisfaction and the results for each variable and the combined model were not significant (F3, 80 = .526, p = .666). The patient satisfaction survey scores were very high indicating a considerable ceiling effect and the ICBE program had little chance of demonstrating a statistically significant or practically important effect. Although the study results did not support a relationship between ICBE program use and patient satisfaction, an analysis of the research and information obtained from the literature reviews provided valuable additions to the literature including a best practices model that may be beneficial to future researchers and users of ICBE programs.