HELP-AF: A randomised controlled trial assessing Home-based Education and Learning Program for Atrial Fibrillation

INTERVENTION: Home‐based Education and Learning Package: 2 x Home visits (1‐1.5 hrs in duration). Featuring clinical characterization and delivery of information using Structured Educational Visiting techniques via a trained allied health professionals at 1‐2 and 7‐8 weeks after enrollment. Main education principle will be to encourage the patient to become a participant in their AF specific health care rather than a passive 'passenger'. The intervention will include printed educational material, a personal action plan, and access to advice via an emergency phone line. The action plan will be completed in collaboration with the patient's GP/cardiologist. CONDITION: Atrial Fibrillation PRIMARY OUTCOME: Health Related Quality of Life ‐ SF‐36 General Quality of Life questionnaire and the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life (AFEQT) questionnaire Total unplanned hospital admissions ; Patient telephone interview cross referenced against medical records ; Medicare item number retrieval SECONDARY OUTCOME: AF severity and burden score ‐ Atrial Fibrillation Severity Scale (AFSS) All‐cause mortality ; Medical records cross‐referenced with family contact ; Death certificate retrieval Anticoagulation effectiveness ; INR results from GP/specialist ; Linear interpolation between time points to calculate time in theraputic range Direct health service costs Proportion of patients with >1 hospitalisation ; Patient telephone interview cross referenced against medical records ; Medicare item number retrieval Time to first hospital admission ; Patient telephone interview cross referenced against medical records ; Medicare item number retrieval Total AF related hospitalisations (including Atrial Flutter) ‐ Patients telephone interview cross referenced against medical records Medicare item number retrieval Total cardiac hospitalisations including those related to: AF, congestive heart failure, thrombo‐embolic events, bleeding events, peripheral or coronary cardiovascular events or other cardiovascular events. ; Patient telephone interview cross referenced against medical records ; Medicare item number retrieval Total non‐cardiac hospitalisations ; Patient telephone interview cross referenced against medical records ; Medicare item number retrieval Total unplanned days in hospital ; Patient telephone interview cross referenced against hospital records ; Medicare item number retrieval INCLUSION CRITERIA: Admitted and non‐admitted patients presenting to the ED with a primary reason of atrial fibrillation.