JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The Covid-19 pandemic has showed the need for new ways to perform remote patient education. Patients with heart failure is characterized with a high readmission rate. Rehabilitation can prevent hospital readmissions, but there is poor participation in rehabilitation of heart failure patients. Bases on userdriven innovation in the Future Patient research project we have developed a prototype of the digital Heart Game. The Heart Game is a new approach to digital patient education, where patients via an App can access a digital board game where they can be presented for quiz, activities and reflection questions, all related to heart failure.

Objective:

To assess the usability of the prototype application The Heart Game.

Methods:

Six heart failure patients were recruited Think-aloud test, where the participants during play, were observed, sound recorded and Ipads screen recorded, was conducted, following with a questionnaire immediately after playing. Finally interview (n=6) was carried out. Qualitative data were analyzed in NVivo software 12.0.

Results:

Six heart failure patients (83,3 % male, mean age 66) participated in the think-aloud tests. One participant uncompleted the game. The game duration was 9:14-16:13. Findings from the think-aloud test, shows in themes; Digital games are a new world, practice makes perfect, the Heart Game is unlogical, tasks are not generalizable, understandable formulations, entertaining, and the Heart Game is relevant fun and entertaining to play.

Conclusions:

The usability of the Heart Game is showing opportunities for digital patient education. Yet are there some challenges in the prototype with unlogical game structures in the board game. Further test and development of the prototype needs to be performed.