Collaborative Design and Development of a Patient-Centered Digital Health App for Supportive Cancer Care: Participatory Study.
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| Title: | Collaborative Design and Development of a Patient-Centered Digital Health App for Supportive Cancer Care: Participatory Study. |
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| Authors: | Difrancesco S; Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland., Bauert MM; Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland., Lehmann C; Institute of Computer Science, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland., Häsler S; Institute of Computer Science, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland., Zhang Y; Institute of Computer Science, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland., Hirsch S; Institute of Computational Life Sciences, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland., Ackermann P; Institute of Computer Science, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland., Stockinger K; Institute of Computer Science, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland., Reif M; Institute of Applied Mathematics and Physics, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland., Mathieu S; Institute of Computational Life Sciences, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland., Götz A; Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland., Wicki A; Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland., Krauthammer M; Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland., Witt CM; Institute for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. |
| Source: | JMIR human factors [JMIR Hum Factors] 2025 Nov 11; Vol. 12, pp. e73829. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Nov 11. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc Country of Publication: Canada NLM ID: 101666561 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2292-9495 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 22929495 NLM ISO Abbreviation: JMIR Hum Factors Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Toronto : JMIR Publications Inc, [2014]- |
| MeSH Terms: | Mobile Applications*/statistics & numerical data , Neoplasms*/therapy , Patient-Centered Care* , User-Centered Design*, Humans ; Qualitative Research ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Focus Groups ; Adult ; Cooperative Behavior ; Digital Health |
| Abstract: | Background: Digital health tools such as smartphone apps have the potential to improve supportive cancer care. Although numerous smartphone apps for supportive care are available, few are designed using a user-centered approach. Such an approach is crucial for successful implementation, as it may improve user engagement, usability, and adoption in clinical settings. Objective: This study aimed to co-design and develop a digital health app for supportive cancer care in collaboration with patients with cancer and health care professionals and to explore factors influencing its future acceptance. Methods: We conducted a participatory study with the major stakeholders at the University Hospital Zurich. Workshops, individual qualitative interviews, and focus groups were held with health care professionals, survivors of cancer, and patients with cancer. The co-design process was divided into 3 phases: predesign, generative phase, and prototyping. User-centered design methods included scoring cards and think-aloud protocols to co-create design ideas, identify important functionalities, and test usability. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Patients and health care professionals emphasized the need for a digital health app to improve patient-healthcare professional communication, digitalize supportive care screening and processes, and enhance self-efficacy. The resulting app, OncoSupport+, was co-designed and integrated into the clinical workflow for supportive cancer care. It consists of (1) a patient dashboard to record patient-reported outcome measures and to provide access to personalized supportive care information and contact details, and (2) a nurse dashboard to visualize patient data, which can be used during nursing consultations. Potential facilitators for adoption included ease of use, workflow integration, introduction by health care professionals, and technical support, whereas internet anxiety may be a potential barrier. Conclusions: Collaborative development with patients and health care professionals is crucial for creating digital health tools that can be implemented successfully. Future research should evaluate the feasibility of long-term implementation and the real-world usability and effectiveness of OncoSupport+ for improving communication, self-efficacy, and quality of life. (©Sonia Difrancesco, Matthia Martina Bauert, Claude Lehmann, Steven Häsler, Yi Zhang, Sven Hirsch, Philipp Ackermann, Kurt Stockinger, Monika Reif, Sunjoy Mathieu, Anna Götz, Andreas Wicki, Michael Krauthammer, Claudia M Witt. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (https://humanfactors.jmir.org), 11.11.2025.) |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: cancer; digital health; mHealth; patient-reported outcome measures; supportive care |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20251111 Date Completed: 20251113 Latest Revision: 20251128 |
| Update Code: | 20251128 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC12648126 |
| DOI: | 10.2196/73829 |
| PMID: | 41217811 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
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Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstract: | Background: Digital health tools such as smartphone apps have the potential to improve supportive cancer care. Although numerous smartphone apps for supportive care are available, few are designed using a user-centered approach. Such an approach is crucial for successful implementation, as it may improve user engagement, usability, and adoption in clinical settings.<br />Objective: This study aimed to co-design and develop a digital health app for supportive cancer care in collaboration with patients with cancer and health care professionals and to explore factors influencing its future acceptance.<br />Methods: We conducted a participatory study with the major stakeholders at the University Hospital Zurich. Workshops, individual qualitative interviews, and focus groups were held with health care professionals, survivors of cancer, and patients with cancer. The co-design process was divided into 3 phases: predesign, generative phase, and prototyping. User-centered design methods included scoring cards and think-aloud protocols to co-create design ideas, identify important functionalities, and test usability. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.<br />Results: Patients and health care professionals emphasized the need for a digital health app to improve patient-healthcare professional communication, digitalize supportive care screening and processes, and enhance self-efficacy. The resulting app, OncoSupport+, was co-designed and integrated into the clinical workflow for supportive cancer care. It consists of (1) a patient dashboard to record patient-reported outcome measures and to provide access to personalized supportive care information and contact details, and (2) a nurse dashboard to visualize patient data, which can be used during nursing consultations. Potential facilitators for adoption included ease of use, workflow integration, introduction by health care professionals, and technical support, whereas internet anxiety may be a potential barrier.<br />Conclusions: Collaborative development with patients and health care professionals is crucial for creating digital health tools that can be implemented successfully. Future research should evaluate the feasibility of long-term implementation and the real-world usability and effectiveness of OncoSupport+ for improving communication, self-efficacy, and quality of life.<br /> (©Sonia Difrancesco, Matthia Martina Bauert, Claude Lehmann, Steven Häsler, Yi Zhang, Sven Hirsch, Philipp Ackermann, Kurt Stockinger, Monika Reif, Sunjoy Mathieu, Anna Götz, Andreas Wicki, Michael Krauthammer, Claudia M Witt. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (https://humanfactors.jmir.org), 11.11.2025.) |
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| ISSN: | 2292-9495 |
| DOI: | 10.2196/73829 |