MAPPING THE JOURNEYS OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION PATIENTS AND CITIZENS USING WEARABLE DEVICES FOR REMOTE CARDIAC MONITORING
Year: 2023
Editor: Kevin Otto, Boris Eisenbart, Claudia Eckert, Benoit Eynard, Dieter Krause, Josef Oehmen, Nad
Author: Suresh Kumar, Sagar (1); Andreakou, Eva (2); Tzachsan, Marianna (2); Maier, Anja M. (1,2)
Series: ICED
Institution: 1: University of Strathclyde;
2: DTU-Technical University of Denmark
Section: Design Methods
Page(s): 2575-2584
DOI number: https://doi.org/10.1017/pds.2023.258
ISBN: -
ISSN: -
Abstract
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is one of the most prevalent cardiac diseases in the world. How might we design patient journeys improving quality of life using wearable cardiac devices for continuous out of hospital monitoring and support? Most of the studies to date have emphasised the technical aspects of implementing such devices with less focus on human factors. As such, remote cardiac monitoring appears to be burdened by poor patient adherence. This research study proposed a journey map based on Roger’s technology adoption model to understand the challenges faced by AF patients and non/asymptomatic patients in using wearable devices to monitor their health. Data from semi-structured interviews conducted in Denmark with 12 participants aged 24 to 65 years was used. Interview results show that citizens prefer tracking heart activity only in conjunction with other measures such as steps or sleep and do not feel motivated to track their heart activity on a daily basis. Patients view wearables as a valuable tool to check if their health is all right, although apprehension that devices can cause unnecessary worry can lead to their rejection. Finally, recommendations for the design of patient journeys when using wearables were made.
Keywords: User centred design, Biomedical design, Inclusive design, Remote patient monitoring, Healthcare