Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Human Factors
Date Submitted: Mar 30, 2026
Date Accepted: Sep 17, 2026
Workforce perceptions of a conceptual Hospital at Home Digital Twin: A qualitative study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Hospital at Home (H@H) services are transformative in delivering acute care in a patient’s home supported by a multidisciplinary team and remote monitoring technologies, with a growing demand for innovation and digital solutions. Digital Twin (DT) technology offers the possibility of leveraging real-time data to personalise care, predict risk and improve patient management. However, perceptions of the workforce regarding application of a H@H-DT remain underexplored, which is crucial for successful adoption and sustainability.
Objective:
This qualitative study aims to explore health and care professionals’ perceptions and perceived impact of the concept of a H@H-DT model of care.
Methods:
Twenty-six semi-structured interviews were conducted between June- December 2025.Participants were based in the United Kingdom and recruited through purposive sampling via known contacts, professional networking and social media. A short vignette on DTs was presented to participants at the start of the interview. An interview topic guide centred around acceptability and the domains of the Non-Adoption, Abandonment, Scale-up, Spread, Sustainability (NASSS) framework were used to explore complexity in implementation and potential management. Data analysis involved reflexive thematic analysis, using a hybrid inductive and deductive coding approach.
Results:
Seven overarching themes were identified highlighting a mixture of perceived benefits, concerns and recommendations. Participants saw value in personalised, holistic care enabled by real-time data-driven interventions and appropriate patient-clinician contact. However, concerns included trust in DTs with participants highlighting that implementation requires adapting workforce roles, strong education and training, systems-level infrastructure and the supporting evidence-base.
Conclusions:
This work provides the foundations for stakeholders and developers to better understand the likely adoption of a H@H-DT and likely impact on individuals, organisations and systems. Findings from this study highlight key recommendations when considering further research and implementation efforts should prioritise stakeholder involvement to develop clear actionable plans. Clinical Trial: Not applicable
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