Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Human Factors
Date Submitted: Jan 30, 2023
Date Accepted: Mar 20, 2024
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Direct access to diagnostic testing and advice service: a qualitative study into the usability and needs
ABSTRACT
Background:
Healthcare lags in digital transformation, while technology can contribute to individuals' well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the uptake of technology in healthcare and increased the willingness of individuals to perform self-management using technology. A web-based service, Directlab Online, provides consumers with direct online access to diagnostic test packages, which can digitally support the self-management of health.
Objective:
The aim is to evaluate the usability of Directlab Online, and the needs regarding direct online access to diagnostic testing. Furthermore, we aim to identify the facilitators and barriers to implementation.
Methods:
A qualitative method was used from a potential user's perspective. The (future) needs, facilitators and barriers to using Directlab Online were evaluated. Semi-structured focus group meetings were performed in 2022. Two focus groups were focused on sexually transmitted infection test packages, and two were focused on prevention test packages. The data analysis was performed according to the principles of the Framework Method. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used to categorize the facilitators and barriers.
Results:
In total, 19 participants participated in the focus groups. They had a mean age of 34.32 (SD = 14.70). Themes that potentially could refine the usability was improving comprehension of information. In addition, the study showed that an important need for this service is to inform users clearly that the primary goal of the online service is to support them in improving their health. The facilitators and barriers mentioned in this study mainly influenced the accessibility and reliability of the service. Namely, important barriers were lacking information of privacy and a commercial look and feel. Important facilitators were the right amount of information, and that medical professionals were involved.
Conclusions:
According to the participants, the usability of the website was influenced by the comprehension of the information, the goal of the website and the total look and feel. Although the service is developed in co-creation with medical professionals and users, we saw a disbalance in the wishes and needs of the professionals and users. For medical professionals, it is important to have a lot of information on the service, and they have specific wishes about which diagnostic test packages are available on such service. For users, the information needed not to be too much and understandable. In addition, users would like to have other kinds of tests available on the service. For future research, it would be beneficial to focus on co-creation between involved medical professionals and users to develop, improve and implement a service like Directlab Online.
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Copyright
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