Clinical follow-up using virtual voice technology identified complications and increased patient satisfaction after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), according to a study presented at ESC Congress 2024.
Regarding the rationale for developing a virtual voice assistant for TAVI patients, study author Dr. Marta Herrero Brocal from Dr. Balmis General University Hospital in Alicante, Spain, said: “Aortic stenosis is particularly prevalent in the elderly.2 It can be treated with surgery or a minimally invasive procedure called TAVI. Complications can occur after TAVI, especially within the first month.3 However, due to lack of resources, many hospitals are unable to provide the intensive follow-up required after patients are discharged. Based on artificial intelligence and natural language processing, a new application for the virtual voice assistant “LOLA” has been developed. The application can make more than 40 calls in two hours, collecting follow-up information and acting accordingly. The results of the TeleTAVI study show that excellent care can be provided virtually without a significant increase in resources.”
TeleTAVI is a prospective, observational, single-center study carried out at the Dr. Balmis General University Hospital in Alicante, Spain. All patients undergoing TAVI via the femoral artery in 2023 were offered the option of follow-up with a virtual voice assistant, without language barriers. LOLA called patients at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 12 months after the patient's discharge. These calls consisted of a series of questions mainly related to vascular access and the patient's cardiovascular status. After the call, all collected information was uploaded to a web platform and the data was monitored by medical professionals who acted if necessary.
A total of 274 patients were included. The mean age was 81 years and 49.3% were women. Only six patients declined the follow-up option. A total of 1,039 calls were made, resulting in 385 hours of self-directed conversation. The average duration per call was 4 minutes and 3 seconds. Calls were completed in 94% of cases, and compliance was greater than 85% throughout the follow-up period. Patients answered 89% of calls and 11% were answered by family members or caregivers.
Forty-four percent of calls did not detect any alerts and therefore did not require review. Of the remaining calls, 57% had 926 alerts and required at least one intervention. The number of alerts decreased as follow-up progressed, reflecting the need for close monitoring in the early post-procedure phase.
The virtual voice assistant also facilitated faster patient discharge: With the availability of automated, close follow-up, 40.1% of patients were able to be discharged within 24 hours of surgery, and 32.9% were able to be discharged between 24 and 48 hours.
Patients generally responded favorably to the virtual system. The satisfaction score was 4.68/5, with 89% of patients reporting being satisfied or very satisfied. In total, 86% of patients would recommend using LOLA.
TeleTAVI studies have shown that follow-up with a virtual voice assistant allows for safer and earlier discharge after TAVI, with lower complication rates and no increased strain on healthcare resources. Patients know there are doctors and nurses behind LOLA and are happy to talk to them, which is reflected in our high patient satisfaction rate.”
Dr. Marta Herrero Brocal, Balmes General Hospital, Alicante, Spain
sauce:
European Society of Cardiology
