Towards Data-Enabled Physical Activity Planning: An Exploratory Study of HCP Perspectives On The Integration Of Patient-Generated Health Data

TL;DR

This study explores healthcare professionals' perspectives on integrating patient-generated health data into physical activity planning for cardiovascular rehab, identifying key needs, barriers, and enablers for effective digital health solutions.

Contribution

It provides novel insights into HCPs' information needs and challenges regarding PGHD integration in clinical workflows for physical activity planning.

Findings

HCPs need data on risk factors, vital signs, and adherence.

Enablers include adaptive sense-making and standardization.

Barriers include time constraints, data quality, and trust issues.

Abstract

Physical activity planning is an essential part of cardiovascular rehabilitation. Through a two-part formative design exploration, we investigated integrating patient-generated health data (PGHD) into clinical workflows supporting shared decision-making (SDM) in physical activity planning. In part one, during a two-week situated study, to reduce risk of working with cardiovascular disease patients, we recruited healthy participants who self-tracked health and physical activity data and attended a physical activity planning session with a healthcare professional (HCP). Subsequently both HCPs and participants were interviewed. In part two, findings from part one were presented to HCPs in a card-sorting workshop to corroborate findings and identify information needs of HCPs alongside patient journeys and clinical workflows. Our outcomes highlight HCP information needs around patient risk factors, vital signs, and adherence to physical activity. Enablers for PGHD integration include adaptive data sense-making, standardization and organizational support for integration. Barriers include lack of time, data quality, trust and liability concerns. Our research highlights implications for designing digital health technologies that support PGHD in physical activity planning during cardiac rehabilitation.