Background
Respiratory diseases significantly account for the overall health burden of illness in Ireland and globally1. Healthcare professionals must become innovative to meet increasingly diverse and complex changes including urgency and efficiencies. One solution is to define, support, and enable remote patient monitoring and telemedicine to facilitate service users with commensurate healthcare follow-up. These programs can strategically improve the quality of care, compliance, financial burden, and patient's QOL 2. However, little is known about the service user's perspective.
Objective
To explore perceptions, beliefs, barriers, and cues-to-action that underpin decision-making among a cohort of Irish respiratory patients prompting engagement with digital health technology (DHT)
Methods
An exploratory sequential mixed methods design.
Results
58 individuals participated in this study. 63.7%(n=37) voiced interest in using DHT. 50% (n= 29) reported that DHT would empower them to take control of their disease; 52%(n=30) believed that DHT would help them stay out of the hospital; 36% (n=21) indicated a preference for a reduction in clinic appointments; 66% (=38) stating increased value in face to face clinic appointments; and 43% (n=25) of participants were not aware of DHT.
Conclusion
Sustainability in healthcare provision will be enabled and accelerated through innovation (e- technologies) and creativity; however, it is important to include all key stakeholders in this transition. Investment in appropriate education, training, and communication channels for service users will potentially inform effectiveness and behavioral change.