Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Cardio
Date Submitted: Mar 15, 2026
Date Accepted: May 18, 2026
Date Submitted to PubMed: May 20, 2026
Patient Perceptions of a Digitally-Enabled Community Health Worker Intervention: A Qualitative Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Most studies targeting patient experience in managing heart failure (HF) at home focus on social isolation and medication management. Few have explored patient experience associated with a digitally-enabled community health worker intervention within a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Objective:
To identify patient perceptions related to a digitally-enabled community health worker intervention implemented within a pilot trial.
Methods:
Adults (age ≥18) with HF receiving care at a single health care institution and with a history of hospital admission in the previous 12 months were enrolled and randomized to the intervention arm of a pilot trial July - November 2021. Intervention participants (N=19) were paired with a CHW and digital platform (tracking heart rate, oxygenation, blood pressure, body weight, steps taken, symptoms, and offering educational videos). Qualitative interviews were performed after the 30-day intervention. Key interview domains included: barriers and facilitators to the intervention, use of CHW care in HF at home, remote monitoring in HF, and the use of technology in HF.
Results:
Interviews with participants (N=19; mean age 62.1 ±15.1 years) yielded five key themes: (1) The combined intervention was well-received; CHWs made the use of the digital platform more approachable; (2) The digital platform enhanced HF knowledge and confidence in self-care; (3) Digital platform use was easy to integrate into daily routines; (4) In addition to assisting with navigation of unmet social needs (e.g., transportation, insurance benefit, food access), CHWs provided emotional support and increased motivation for clinical care plan adherence and platform use. (5) Connectivity issues and other technical challenges occurred with digital platform use.
Conclusions:
Participant perspectives underscored the individual and combined value of an intervention combining a digital platform with CHW care in the home setting. Specifically, CHWs played a key role in making the platform more approachable for participant use. Further research is needed in multi-center trial settings powered to test the benefit of such an intervention for HF populations in both academic and community-based care settings. Clinical Trial: NCT05130008
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