Feeling better on hemodialysis: user-centered design requirements for promoting patient involvement in the prevention of treatment complications.

Willis MA, Hein LB, Hu Z, Saran R, Argentina M, Bragg-Gresham J, Krein SL, Gillespie B, Zheng K, Veinot TC. Feeling better on hemodialysis: user-centered design requirements for promoting patient involvement in the prevention of treatment complications. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA. 2021 Jul 30; 28(8):1612-1631.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• RCS 11-222 – Research Career Scientist Award

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Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: Hemodialysis patients frequently experience dialysis therapy sessions complicated by intradialytic hypotension (IDH), a major patient safety concern. We investigate user-centered design requirements for a theory-informed, peer mentoring-based, informatics intervention to activate patients toward IDH prevention. METHODS: We conducted observations (156 hours) and interviews (n = 28) with patients in 3 hemodialysis clinics, followed by 9 focus groups (including participatory design activities) with patients (n = 17). Inductive and deductive analyses resulted in themes and design principles linked to constructs from social, cognitive, and self-determination theories. RESULTS: Hemodialysis patients want an informatics intervention for IDH prevention that collapses distance between patients, peers, and family; harnesses patients' strength of character and resolve in all parts of their life; respects and supports patients' individual needs, preferences, and choices; and links "feeling better on dialysis" to becoming more involved in IDH prevention. Related design principles included designing for: depth of interpersonal connections; positivity; individual choice and initiative; and comprehension of connections and possible actions. DISCUSSION: Findings advance the design of informatics interventions by presenting design requirements for outpatient safety and addressing key design opportunities for informatics to support patient involvement; these include incorporation of behavior change theories. Results also demonstrate the meaning of design choices for hemodialysis patients in the context of their experiences; this may have applicability to other populations with serious illnesses. CONCLUSION: The resulting patient-facing informatics intervention will be evaluated in a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial in 28 hemodialysis facilities in 4 US regions.