Bridging the gap: A user-driven study on new ways to support self-care and empowerment for patients with hip fracture

OBJECTIVES: In future healthcare systems, individuals are expected to be more involved in managing their health and preventing illness. A previous study of patient empowerment on a hip fracture pathway uncovered a gap between what the healthcare system provided and patients’ needs and wishes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a user-driven approach and a participatory design could provide a solution that would bridge this gap. METHODS: Four workshops and a laboratory test were conducted with healthcare professionals to co-create a final prototype. This was performed in iterative processes through continuous interviews and face-to-face evaluation with patients, together with field studies in patients’ homes, to maintain relevance to end-users, that is, patients and healthcare professionals. The data were analysed according to the plan, act, observe and reflect methodology of iterative processes in participatory design. RESULTS: Our results contribute to a key research area within patient involvement. By using participatory design, patients and healthcare professionals gained a mutual understanding and collaborated to create a technological solution that would encompass needs and wishes. Patient empowerment also involved giving healthcare professionals a means of empowerment, by providing them with a platform to support patient education. We found that one solution to bridging the aforementioned gap could be an app, including a range of educational features that would accommodate different learning styles. CONCLUSION: In developing a technological solution, user involvement in a participatory design ensures usability and inclusion of the requested functionalities. This can help bridge the gap between what the healthcare system provided and patients’ needs and wishes and support patients’ individual empowerment needs and self-care capacity. Together with the tools and techniques, the setting in which PD unfolds should be thoughtfully planned.