OBJECTIVES: The importance of tailored care to address patient preferences has been increasingly recognized in recent years. Here, we evaluate an online survey designed to gather patient perspectives post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and identify their treatment preferences/goals.

METHODS: This survey was designed by an advisory board of medical experts and patients, and hosted on an online patient platform, collecting GDPR-compliant data. Adults in the US who had an AMI in the previous 12 months were recruited for this institutional review board (IRB)-approved study through the platform and associated online partners. Patients who were members of the online community were invited to participate in the survey via email, and received weekly digital reminders (e.g., email, mobile notifications) to complete it. The survey was unincentivized and self-administered, without direct influence of a clinician or interviewer to reduce social desirability bias. Survey questions were defined under five topics: 1) screening (e.g., gender, age), 2) medical profile (e.g., comorbidities, treatments), 3) patient pathway (e.g., hospitalization, rehabilitation), 4) burden of AMI (e.g., emotional state, professional life, finances), 5) treatment burden/expectations (e.g., adherence, perceptions of treatments, treatment goals). Target enrollment was 150 patients.

RESULTS: Recruitment was completed within a two-month time period, from October–December 2022. In total, 151 patients completed the survey (69% male, mean age 50.2 years). Of these, 58 patients had their latest AMI in the past 90 days, indicating that patient engagement is feasible in the early period post-AMI.

CONCLUSIONS: Online surveys addressing post-AMI patient perspectives are feasible and can be a viable tool to better understand patient needs and subsequently ensure patient preferences are addressed in their care. Future bigger and broader surveys in this area are needed.