Teaching older adults with multiple chronic conditions to use a tablet and patient application for health management

Abstract

Within home telehealth programs, patients often receive devices and applications which they may need to learn how to use. A user feedback study with training materials on a tablet PC and patient application, designed for older chronic patients, was conducted with fifteen USA patients from the Philips Intensive Ambulatory Care home telehealth program. Two themes emerged from the findings, in relation to the training program: (1) Relevance, appreciation and user experience, and (2) patient preferences, which had two sub-themes (a) Manner of communication and (b) designing the interaction. Participants found training materials relevant, preferred materials that allow practicing and provide feedback, especially when worded in a manner that is encouraging but not patronizing. They preferred information in audio as well as text formats due to their abilities. Training materials introducing technologies to patients, appropriate for their abilities and preferences, need to be devised and provided to promote telehealth patient engagement.