scholarly journals Opportunities and Challenges Surrounding the Use of Data From Wearable Sensor Devices in Health Care: Qualitative Interview Study

10.2196/19542 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. e19542
Author(s):  
Ijeoma Azodo ◽  
Robin Williams ◽  
Aziz Sheikh ◽  
Kathrin Cresswell
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Wearable Sensor ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
Sensor Devices ◽  
Care Technology ◽  
International Experts

Background Wearable sensors connected via networked devices have the potential to generate data that may help to automate processes of care, engage patients, and increase health care efficiency. The evidence of effectiveness of such technologies is, however, nascent and little is known about unintended consequences. Objective Our objective was to explore the opportunities and challenges surrounding the use of data from wearable sensor devices in health care. Methods We conducted a qualitative, theoretically informed, interview-based study to purposefully sample international experts in health care, technology, business, innovation, and social sciences, drawing on sociotechnical systems theory. We used in-depth interviews to capture perspectives on development, design, and use of data from wearable sensor devices in health care, and employed thematic analysis of interview transcripts with NVivo to facilitate coding. Results We interviewed 16 experts. Although the use of data from wearable sensor devices in health and care has significant potential in improving patient engagement, there are a number of issues that stakeholders need to negotiate to realize these benefits. These issues include the current gap between data created and meaningful interpretation in health and care contexts, integration of data into health care professional decision making, negotiation of blurring lines between consumer and medical care, and pervasive monitoring of health across previously disconnected contexts. Conclusions Stakeholders need to actively negotiate existing challenges to realize the integration of data from wearable sensor devices into electronic health records. Viewing wearables as active parts of a connected digital health and care infrastructure, in which various business, personal, professional, and health system interests align, may help to achieve this.

scholarly journals Opportunities and Challenges Surrounding the Use of Data From Wearable Sensor Devices in Health Care: Qualitative Interview Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ijeoma Azodo ◽  
Robin Williams ◽  
Aziz Sheikh ◽  
Kathrin Cresswell
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Wearable Sensor ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
Sensor Devices ◽  
Care Technology ◽  
International Experts

BACKGROUND Wearable sensors connected via networked devices have the potential to generate data that may help to automate processes of care, engage patients, and increase health care efficiency. The evidence of effectiveness of such technologies is, however, nascent and little is known about unintended consequences. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to explore the opportunities and challenges surrounding the use of data from wearable sensor devices in health care. METHODS We conducted a qualitative, theoretically informed, interview-based study to purposefully sample international experts in health care, technology, business, innovation, and social sciences, drawing on sociotechnical systems theory. We used in-depth interviews to capture perspectives on development, design, and use of data from wearable sensor devices in health care, and employed thematic analysis of interview transcripts with NVivo to facilitate coding. RESULTS We interviewed 16 experts. Although the use of data from wearable sensor devices in health and care has significant potential in improving patient engagement, there are a number of issues that stakeholders need to negotiate to realize these benefits. These issues include the current gap between data created and meaningful interpretation in health and care contexts, integration of data into health care professional decision making, negotiation of blurring lines between consumer and medical care, and pervasive monitoring of health across previously disconnected contexts. CONCLUSIONS Stakeholders need to actively negotiate existing challenges to realize the integration of data from wearable sensor devices into electronic health records. Viewing wearables as active parts of a connected digital health and care infrastructure, in which various business, personal, professional, and health system interests align, may help to achieve this.

scholarly journals Understanding digital health ecosystem from Australian citizens’ perspective: A scoping review

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0260058
Author(s):  
Abraham Oshni Alvandi ◽  
Chris Bain ◽  
Frada Burstein
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Related Services ◽  
Scoping Literature Review ◽  
Usability Data ◽  
Care Technology

Background Digital health (DH) and the benefits of related services are fairly well understood. However, it still is critical to map the digital health care landscape including the key elements that define it as an ecosystem. Particularly, knowing the perspectives of citizens on this digital transformation is an important angle to capture. In this review we aim to analyze the relevant studies to identify how DH is understood and experienced by Australian citizens and what they may require from DH platforms. Materials and methods A scoping literature review was conducted across several electronic databases (ACM Digital Library, OVID, PubMed, Scopus, IEEE, Science Direct, SAGE), as well as grey literature. Additionally, citation mining was conducted to identify further relevant studies. Identified studies were subjected to eligibility criteria and the final set of articles was independently reviewed, analyzed, discussed and interpreted by three reviewers. Results Of 3811 articles, 98 articles met the inclusion criteria with research-based articles–as opposed to review articles or white papers– comprising the largest proportion (72%) of the selected literature. The qualitative analysis of the literature revealed five key elements that capture the essence of the digital health ecosystem interventions from the viewpoint of the Australian citizens. The identified elements were “consumer/user”, “health care”, “technology”, “use and usability”, “data and information”. These elements were further found to be associated with 127 subcategories. Conclusions This study is the first of its kind to analyze and synthesize the relevant literature on DH ecosystems from the citizens’ perspective. Through the lens of two research questions, this study defines the key components that were found crucial to understanding citizens’ experiences with DH. This understanding lays a strong foundation for designing and fostering DH ecosystem. The results provide a solid ground for empirical testing.

scholarly journals Behavior science in the evolving world of digital health: considerations on anticipated opportunities and challenges

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madalina Sucala ◽  
Heather Cole-Lewis ◽  
Danielle Arigo ◽  
Megan Oser ◽  
Stephanie Goldstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Behavioral Science ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Behavior Science ◽  
Evolving Models ◽  
Health Field ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract Digital health promises to increase intervention reach and effectiveness for a range of behavioral health outcomes. Behavioral scientists have a unique opportunity to infuse their expertise in all phases of a digital health intervention, from design to implementation. The aim of this study was to assess behavioral scientists’ interests and needs with respect to digital health endeavors, as well as gather expert insight into the role of behavioral science in the evolution of digital health. The study used a two-phased approach: (a) a survey of behavioral scientists’ current needs and interests with respect to digital health endeavors (n = 346); (b) a series of interviews with digital health stakeholders for their expert insight on the evolution of the health field (n = 15). In terms of current needs and interests, the large majority of surveyed behavioral scientists (77%) already participate in digital health projects, and from those who have not done so yet, the majority (65%) reported intending to do so in the future. In terms of the expected evolution of the digital health field, interviewed stakeholders anticipated a number of changes, from overall landscape changes through evolving models of reimbursement to more significant oversight and regulations. These findings provide a timely insight into behavioral scientists’ current needs, barriers, and attitudes toward the use of technology in health care and public health. Results might also highlight the areas where behavioral scientists can leverage their expertise to both enhance digital health’s potential to improve health, as well as to prevent the potential unintended consequences that can emerge from scaling the use of technology in health care.

scholarly journals Expert Consensus Survey on Digital Health Tools for Patients With Serious Mental Illness: Optimizing for User Characteristics and User Support

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. e46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ainslie Hatch ◽  
Julia E Hoffman ◽  
Ruth Ross ◽  
John P Docherty
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Expert Consensus ◽  
User Characteristics ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
And Training

Background Digital technology is increasingly being used to enhance health care in various areas of medicine. In the area of serious mental illness, it is important to understand the special characteristics of target users that may influence motivation and competence to use digital health tools, as well as the resources and training necessary for these patients to facilitate the use of this technology. Objective The aim of this study was to conduct a quantitative expert consensus survey to identify key characteristics of target users (patients and health care professionals), barriers and facilitators for appropriate use, and resources needed to optimize the use of digital health tools in patients with serious mental illness. Methods A panel of 40 experts in digital behavioral health who met the participation criteria completed a 19-question survey, rating predefined responses on a 9-point Likert scale. Consensus was determined using a chi-square test of score distributions across three ranges (1-3, 4-6, 7-9). Categorical ratings of first, second, or third line were designated based on the lowest category into which the CI of the mean ratings fell, with a boundary >6.5 for first line. Here, we report experts’ responses to nine questions (265 options) that focused on (1) user characteristics that would promote or hinder the use of digital health tools, (2) potential benefits or motivators and barriers or unintended consequences of digital health tool use, and (3) support and training for patients and health care professionals. Results Among patient characteristics most likely to promote use of digital health tools, experts endorsed interest in using state-of-the-art technology, availability of necessary resources, good occupational functioning, and perception of the tool as beneficial. Certain disease-associated signs and symptoms (eg, more severe symptoms, substance abuse problems, and a chaotic living situation) were considered likely to make it difficult for patients to use digital health tools. Enthusiasm among health care professionals for digital health tools and availability of staff and equipment to support their use were identified as variables to enable health care professionals to successfully incorporate digital health tools into their practices. The experts identified a number of potential benefits of and barriers to use of digital health tools by patients and health care professionals. Experts agreed that both health care professionals and patients would need to be trained in the use of these new technologies. Conclusions These results provide guidance to the mental health field on how to optimize the development and deployment of digital health tools for patients with serious mental illness.

scholarly journals Using the concept of hubots to understand the work entailed in using digital technologies in healthcare

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 556-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Pope ◽  
Joanne Turnbull
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Urgent Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mixed Methods Case Study ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Ethnographic Studies ◽  
Care Technology

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the human work entailed in the deployment of digital health care technology. It draws on imagined configurations of computers and machines in fiction and social science to think about the relationship between technology and people, and why this makes implementation of digital technology so difficult. The term hubots is employed as a metaphorical device to examine how machines and humans come together to do the work of healthcare. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses the fictional depiction of hubots to reconceptualise the deployment of a particular technology – a computer decision support system (CDSS) used in emergency and urgent care services. Data from two ethnographic studies are reanalysed to explore the deployment of digital technologies in health services. These studies used comparative mixed-methods case study approaches to examine the use of the CDSS in eight different English NHS settings. The data include approximately 900 hours of observation, with 64 semi-structured interviews, 47 focus groups, and surveys of some 700 staff in call centres and urgent care centres. The paper reanalyses these data, deductively, using the metaphor of the hubot as an analytical device. Findings This paper focuses on the interconnected but paradoxical features of both the fictional hubots and the CDSS. Health care call handling using a CDSS has created a new occupation, and enabled the substitution of some clinical labour. However, at the same time, the introduction of the technology has created additional work. There are more tasks, both physical and emotional, and more training activity is required. Thus, the labour has been intensified. Practical implications This paper implies that if we want to realise the promise of digital health care technologies, we need to understand that these technologies substitute for and intensify labour. Originality/value This is a novel analysis using a metaphor drawn from fiction. This allows the authors to recognise the human effort required to implement digital technologies.

The Patient as a Mobile Health Care Consumer

2021 ◽  
pp. 201-206
Author(s):  
Eric D. Perakslis ◽  
Martin Stanley
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Patient Preference ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Confirmation Bias ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Mobile Health Care ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Health Care Consumer ◽  
Health Consumers

Many believe that digital health will be a catalyst to enable health care to become more market-centric and consumer-driven. Indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic has essentially redefined the concept of “elective” procedures based almost entirely on patient preference and behaviors, much of which was unexpected. Although the concept of educated and empowered patient consumers paints a compelling vision, many fear the unintended consequences of removing or minimizing trusted caregiver guidance from the equation. What are the risks and unintended consequences of self-managed care? Will patients properly prioritize? Will the benefits, risks, and potential trade-offs be understood? How will fact be separated from hype, misinformation and confirmation bias? In this chapter the opportunities and hazards of patients as mobile health consumers are detailed with a specific focus on potential harms and corresponding mitigations.

scholarly journals Care of inflammatory bowel disease patients during coronavirus disease‐19 pandemic using digital health‐care technology

JGH Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uday C Ghoshal ◽  
Shikha Sahu ◽  
Sugata N Biswas ◽  
Prashant Singh ◽  
Moni Chaudhary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽  
Bowel Disease ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Health Care Technology ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel ◽  
Care Technology

scholarly journals UX Research applied to digital transformation of primary care in Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L G Mota ◽  
R B David ◽  
D F Botelho ◽  
V A Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Interface Design ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
World Health ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Primary Care Teams

Abstract Background Digital are powerful tools to improve the work and quality of information of primary care teams (PHC) in Brazil has been encouraged through the institution of the e-SUS Primary Care strategy (e-SUS AB). Digital tools were developed to optimize the PHC work process in collecting data on the health of the Brazilian population. The e-SUS AB application was one of those tools developed by the Ministry of Health. This simplified collection of population data. Despite technological updates, since 2015 there were updates regarding the usability of the application. Objective Aim to report on the use of UX research tools to identify changes needed in the e-SUS AB application and to propose solutions aligned with the concepts of usability. Methods For the UX Research, we used focus groups and field monitoring. As a result, we produced personas, empathy map, user journey, and user history documents. The Heuristic User Interface Design, proposed by Nielsen, was used for the application analysis. The World Health Organization's MEDHI (Monitoring and Evaluating Digital Health Interventions) protocol was used for designing solution proposals for UX Design. Results In the design process, we produced navigation sketching's flow and high-fidelity prototypes for improvement proposals. It was necessary to correlate Nielsen's 10 heuristic principles with the needs inherent to public health applications. Problems related to the freedom of control and use by the health professional and the flexibility and efficiency of use were the most significant finds. We also identified underutilization of data collected. Conclusions Based on the results found, an aesthetic reformulation was proposed to solve the heuristic problems. It was also proposed to include a new functionality: a checklist for specific conditions, thus optimizing the use of data collected for primary health care. The proposals are currently undergoing usability testing in a municipality in northeastern Brazil. Key messages We need to plan health digital tools with UX knowledge to improve analysis and decision making capabilities to pointing out strategies to face health issues in the territories. Digital tools are powerful tools to improve health care system performance.

scholarly journals Wavelet-Based Analysis of Physical Activity and Sleep Movement Data from Wearable Sensors among Obese Adults

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (17) ◽  
pp. 3710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Soangra ◽  
Vennila Krishnan
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Inertial Sensor ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Wearable Sensor ◽  
Obesity Management ◽  
Sleep Behavior

Decreased physical activity in obese individuals is associated with a prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Physicians usually recommend that obese individuals change their lifestyle, specifically changes in diet, exercise, and other physical activities for obesity management. Therefore, understanding physical activity and sleep behavior is an essential aspect of obesity management. With innovations in mobile and electronic health care technologies, wearable inertial sensors have been used extensively over the past decade for monitoring human activities. Despite significant progress with the wearable inertial sensing technology, there is a knowledge gap among researchers regarding how to analyze longitudinal multi-day inertial sensor data to explore activities of daily living (ADL) and sleep behavior. The purpose of this study was to explore new clinically relevant metrics using movement amplitude and frequency from longitudinal wearable sensor data in obese and non-obese young adults. We utilized wavelet analysis to determine movement frequencies on longitudinal multi-day wearable sensor data. In this study, we recruited 10 obese and 10 non-obese young subjects. We found that obese participants performed more low-frequency (0.1 Hz) movements and fewer movements of high frequency (1.1–1.4 Hz) compared to non-obese counterparts. Both obese and non-obese subjects were active during the 00:00–06:00 time interval. In addition, obesity affected sleep with significantly fewer transitions, and obese individuals showed low values of root mean square transition accelerations throughout the night. This study is critical for obesity management to prevent unhealthy weight gain by the recommendations of physical activity based on our results. Longitudinal multi-day monitoring using wearable sensors has great potential to be integrated into routine health care checkups to prevent obesity and promote physical activities.

scholarly journals Expert Consensus Survey on Digital Health Tools for Patients With Serious Mental Illness: Optimizing for User Characteristics and User Support (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ainslie Hatch ◽  
Julia E Hoffman ◽  
Ruth Ross ◽  
John P Docherty
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Expert Consensus ◽  
User Characteristics ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
And Training

BACKGROUND Digital technology is increasingly being used to enhance health care in various areas of medicine. In the area of serious mental illness, it is important to understand the special characteristics of target users that may influence motivation and competence to use digital health tools, as well as the resources and training necessary for these patients to facilitate the use of this technology. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to conduct a quantitative expert consensus survey to identify key characteristics of target users (patients and health care professionals), barriers and facilitators for appropriate use, and resources needed to optimize the use of digital health tools in patients with serious mental illness. METHODS A panel of 40 experts in digital behavioral health who met the participation criteria completed a 19-question survey, rating predefined responses on a 9-point Likert scale. Consensus was determined using a chi-square test of score distributions across three ranges (1-3, 4-6, 7-9). Categorical ratings of first, second, or third line were designated based on the lowest category into which the CI of the mean ratings fell, with a boundary >6.5 for first line. Here, we report experts’ responses to nine questions (265 options) that focused on (1) user characteristics that would promote or hinder the use of digital health tools, (2) potential benefits or motivators and barriers or unintended consequences of digital health tool use, and (3) support and training for patients and health care professionals. RESULTS Among patient characteristics most likely to promote use of digital health tools, experts endorsed interest in using state-of-the-art technology, availability of necessary resources, good occupational functioning, and perception of the tool as beneficial. Certain disease-associated signs and symptoms (eg, more severe symptoms, substance abuse problems, and a chaotic living situation) were considered likely to make it difficult for patients to use digital health tools. Enthusiasm among health care professionals for digital health tools and availability of staff and equipment to support their use were identified as variables to enable health care professionals to successfully incorporate digital health tools into their practices. The experts identified a number of potential benefits of and barriers to use of digital health tools by patients and health care professionals. Experts agreed that both health care professionals and patients would need to be trained in the use of these new technologies. CONCLUSIONS These results provide guidance to the mental health field on how to optimize the development and deployment of digital health tools for patients with serious mental illness.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document