JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital diabetes self management education and support platforms are increasingly promoted to address low uptake of face to face programmes. However, their impact depends not only on availability but on how acceptable they are to participants and how they are implemented and integrated into routine care. ‘MyWay Diabetes’ is an online platform offering comprehensive self management education and user access to personal healthcare records. Following successful implementation in Scotland as ‘My Diabetes My Way,’ the platform has been rolled out across three regions in England. Understanding how such platforms are experienced in practice is critical to their effective use.

Objective:

This qualitative work assessed the acceptability of MyWay Diabetes across diverse users with diabetes and clinicians involved in implementing and referring patients to the service.

Methods:

We conducted online interviews with n=10 clinicians (5M, 5F) and four online focus groups with n=27 people with type 2 diabetes (19M, 8F; 59% White British) using the platform across the three regions in England. The Theoretical Framework of Acceptability informed data collection and analysis across both stakeholder groups, while Normalisation Process Theory guided additional analysis of clinician interviews to examine implementation processes. Data were transcribed and analysed thematically using the template analysis approach, and constructs of acceptability compared across stakeholder groups.

Results:

Acceptability was not determined solely by the platform but by how referral practices, personalisation and system integration combined to shape meaningful engagement. Signposting to MyWay Diabetes was typically opportunistic and brief, requiring little effort for clinicians but limiting patient follow up or onboarding. People with diabetes valued the platform as a repository of high quality information and appreciated access to their personal healthcare record but expressed a need for more tailored, interactive features to guide action and sustain engagement. Perceived value was strongly contingent on the integration of MyWay Diabetes with existing healthcare systems and local clinical practice, and by the extent to which clinicians reinforced its use. Across both groups, digital tools were viewed as most acceptable when acting to complement, rather than replace, face to face services.

Conclusions:

This is the first in-depth qualitative assessment of clinician and user experiences of the MyWay Diabetes platform. Acceptability of MyWay Diabetes was contingent on its embedding within existing workflows and routine care services, rather than on platform usability alone. These insights suggest the success of digital self management tools depends on sustained organisational support, effective system integration and active clinician engagement to translate access into the full realisation of their potential benefits across diverse populations.