MyHeart MyLife: an innovative approach to recovery and living well with heart disease

In August this year, the Heart Foundation launched the innovative MyHeart MyLife patient support program, designed to improve the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of people living with coronary heart disease (CHD). The new, predominantly digital program has been tailored to meet the unique needs of people living with CHD in rural and remote parts of Australia, informed by key findings from the Heart of the Community project.

Funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health, the Heart of the Community project investigated the unique needs and preferences of people with CHD living in priority regions in Outback Queensland, Outback Northern Territory, and Riverina New South Wales. These regions were selected as rates of CHD are disproportionally high compared with metropolitan areas.

As part of the project, the Heart Foundation undertook a comprehensive needs assessment which included an environmental scan of available health services and support programs in each area. In addition, formal qualitative research with people living with CHD, their carers, and healthcare professionals living and working in rural and remote parts of Australia was conducted. There was also an extensive engagement and consultation process with healthcare professionals and key stakeholders in each priority region.

The needs assessment and stakeholder consultation revealed that people living in the priority areas face unique challenges in accessing health services and managing their condition. These findings reiterated the need for innovative support and secondary prevention interventions within rural and remote communities.

“Following a heart event or heart disease diagnosis, people require tailored information and support to assist with both their physical and mental recovery,” says Carlie Smith, Heart Foundation Senior Healthcare Programs Officer. “The advice and guidance should be provided in a strengths-based format and at a time and pace suitable to them, which for many people may be some time after hospital discharge.”

Knowledge about mental health and wellbeing, including how to access specialist services via telehealth, was also of particular importance. Furthermore, healthcare professionals identified the need for the support program to complement and enhance their knowledge and practice, recognising the time constraints many of them face.

The insights gained from the Heart of Community project were used to design a tailored journey within the MyHeart MyLife program, providing information and resources specifically for people living in rural and remote parts of Australia. Delivered over 12 weeks, key features of the program include:

• an interactive online dashboard with weekly articles, including key topics of interest for rural and remote communities
• videos filmed with healthcare professionals and people living and working in the priority regions
• supportive text messages and emails designed to educate and motivate participants to form heart-healthy habits
• access to the online MyHeart MyLife peer support community where people can connect with others with similar experiences.

A suite of printed resources on key health topics have also been developed for healthcare professionals working in rural and remote areas. These resources are designed to complement and enhance patient education. Healthcare professionals can order free copies of these resources via the Heart Foundation’s Heartshop.

“The potential for MyHeart MyLife to have a meaningful impact on the lives of people living with heart disease in rural and remote Australia is enormous,” explains Ms Smith. “By joining, people can access the information and support they need, wherever they live and wherever they are on their heart health journey.”

Since launch, over 2,000 people have already joined MyHeart MyLife. This includes representation across Australia from outer regional, remote and very remote areas.

For more information, visit: myheartmylife.org.au