An interactive ICT-platform for early assessment and management of patient-reported concerns among older adults living in ordinary housing : development and feasibility

• Aim and objectives: To develop and test feasibility and acceptability of an interactive ICT-platform integrated in a tablet for collecting and managing patient reported concerns of older adults in home care.Background: Using different ICT-applications, e.g. interactive tablets for self-assessment of health and health issues, based on health monitoring as well as other somatic and psychiatric monitoring systems may improve quality of life, staff and patient communication and feelings of being reassured. The European Commission hypothesize that introduction of ICT-applications to the older population will enable improved health. However, evidence-based and user-based applications are scarce.Design: The design is underpinned by the Medical Research Council's complex intervention evaluation framework. A mixed-method approach was used combining interviews with older adults and healthcare professionals, and logged quantitative data.Methods: In cooperation with a health management company, a platform operated by an interactive application for reporting and managing health related problems in real time was developed. Eight older adults receiving home care were recruited to test feasibility. They were equipped with the application and reported three times weekly over four weeks, and afterwards interviewed about their experiences. Three nurses caring for them were interviewed. The logged data was extracted as a coded file.Results: The older adults reported as instructed, in total 107 reports (mean 13). The most frequent concerns were pain, fatigue and dizziness. The older adults experienced the application as meaningful with overall positive effects as well as potential benefits for the nurses involved.Conclusions The overall findings in this study indicated high feasibility among older adults using the ICT-platform. The study's results support further development of the platform, as well as tests in full-scale studies and in other populations.Relevance to practice: An ICT-platform increased the older adults' perception of involvement and facilitated communication between the patient and nurses.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Information and communication technology (ICT)

nursing care

older adults

patient reported outcomes

Caring sciences

Omvårdnadsvetenskap

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)