A qualitative analysis of the effectiveness of telehealthcare devices (i) are they meeting the needs of end-users?
A qualitative analysis of the effectiveness of telehealthcare devices (i) are they meeting the needs of end-users?
Background
There are many telehealthcare devices currently available ranging from personal alarms, automated pill dispensers and fall detectors through to monitoring devices for blood sugar, blood pressure and heart rate. Many devices remain unused once acquired or shortly after a period of initial use.
Methods
The study used a qualitative design involving focus groups and interviews. End users’ opinions of telehealthcare devices were examined through focus groups along with the views of market experts and key supply chain players through telephone interviews to ascertain their views on the devices. The data were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically.
Results
Amongst the wide range of user issues associated with telehealthcare devices two themes merited particular attention: design characteristics and the lack of focus on end-user needs. Our findings suggested that few telehealthcare devices appear to be developed based on the principles of user-centred design. Consequently, many were non-intuitive to use, with the majority of the focus group participants not recognising the purpose of the devices from their appearance alone.
Conclusions
Greater input from real end-users rather than “proxy” users such as carers, professional users or technologists is required when developing telehealthcare devices or systems. Design should be focussed on intuitive use to enable the user to successfully achieve what is required from the devices. This may require the existing supplier—driven market focus to be challenged, but could improve the contribution of technology to improving healthcare.
Campling, Natasha
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Pitts, David G.
8a710354-8418-4743-9a47-0ebb75076e9b
Knight, Paul V.
9e600f24-dfec-458b-8cc5-cf0af3346c4a
Aspinall, Richard
95a8ef82-88b5-43b4-a879-5e73d579e567
4 July 2017
Campling, Natasha
0e0410b0-a9cd-486d-a51f-20d80df04791
Pitts, David G.
8a710354-8418-4743-9a47-0ebb75076e9b
Knight, Paul V.
9e600f24-dfec-458b-8cc5-cf0af3346c4a
Aspinall, Richard
95a8ef82-88b5-43b4-a879-5e73d579e567
Campling, Natasha, Pitts, David G., Knight, Paul V. and Aspinall, Richard
(2017)
A qualitative analysis of the effectiveness of telehealthcare devices (i) are they meeting the needs of end-users?
BMC Health Services Research, 17 (1), [455].
(doi:10.1186/s12913-017-2408-8).
Abstract
Background
There are many telehealthcare devices currently available ranging from personal alarms, automated pill dispensers and fall detectors through to monitoring devices for blood sugar, blood pressure and heart rate. Many devices remain unused once acquired or shortly after a period of initial use.
Methods
The study used a qualitative design involving focus groups and interviews. End users’ opinions of telehealthcare devices were examined through focus groups along with the views of market experts and key supply chain players through telephone interviews to ascertain their views on the devices. The data were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically.
Results
Amongst the wide range of user issues associated with telehealthcare devices two themes merited particular attention: design characteristics and the lack of focus on end-user needs. Our findings suggested that few telehealthcare devices appear to be developed based on the principles of user-centred design. Consequently, many were non-intuitive to use, with the majority of the focus group participants not recognising the purpose of the devices from their appearance alone.
Conclusions
Greater input from real end-users rather than “proxy” users such as carers, professional users or technologists is required when developing telehealthcare devices or systems. Design should be focussed on intuitive use to enable the user to successfully achieve what is required from the devices. This may require the existing supplier—driven market focus to be challenged, but could improve the contribution of technology to improving healthcare.
Text
A Qualitative Analysis of the Effectiveness of Telehealthcare Devices (i)Are They Meeting the Needs of End-Users?
- Accepted Manuscript
Text
A qualitative analysis of the effectiveness of telehealthcare devices i PUBLISHED
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 5 April 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 4 July 2017
Published date: 4 July 2017
Organisations:
Researcher Development
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 407502
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/407502
ISSN: 1472-6963
PURE UUID: cb08833c-a50b-40d0-bf23-1bce25b04cd5
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Date deposited: 13 Apr 2017 01:03
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:22
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Contributors
Author:
David G. Pitts
Author:
Paul V. Knight
Author:
Richard Aspinall
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