Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Mar 13;17(6):1871.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17061871.

Adaptation of TECCU App Based on Patients´ Perceptions for the Telemonitoring of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Qualitative Study Using Focus Groups

Javier Del Del Hoyo  1 , Pilar Nos  1   2   3 , Raquel Faubel  4   5 , Guillermo Bastida  1   2   3 , Diana Muñoz  1 , Elena Valero-Pérez  1 , Alejandro Garrido-Marín  1 , Pablo Bella  6 , Beatriz Peña  6 , Claudia Savini  6 , Mariam Aguas  1   2   3
Affiliations

Adaptation of TECCU App Based on Patients´ Perceptions for the Telemonitoring of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Qualitative Study Using Focus Groups

Javier Del Del Hoyo et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Despite the continuous adaptation of eHealth systems for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a significant disconnection persists between users and developers. Since non-adherence remains high, it is necessary to better understand the patients' perspective on telemonitoring for IBD. Accordingly, this study aimed to adapt the TECCU telemonitoring app to the preferences and needs of IBD patients. Methods: A qualitative study was carried out using successive focus groups of IBD patients. Meetings were audio-recorded and a thematic analysis was employed until data saturation was achieved. The first group included patients who had used the TECCU App in a pilot clinical trial, and subsequent meetings included patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis recruited from the Spanish Confederation of patient associations. The information collected at each meeting guided consecutive changes to the platform. Results: Data saturation was reached after three focus groups involving a total of 18 patients. Three main themes emerged: (1) platform usability, (2) the communication process, and (3) platform content. All participants indicated that TECCU is easy to use, permitting continuous and personalized feedback. According to patients´ perspectives, the platform was adapted to foster a flexible follow-up and shared decision-making using open and safe communication networks. Many participants appreciated the educational elements and, consequently, the app was connected to reliable and continuously updated webpages. Conclusions: IBD patients valued the usability and personalized monitoring offered by the TECCU App. Improvements in the messaging system and continuously updated educational content were introduced to address patients´ needs and favor their engagement.

Keywords: E-health; focus groups; inflammatory bowel disease; qualitative research; telemedicine.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The workflow followed to guide the continuous adaptation of the TECCU platform.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Coding tree representing the codes, categories, and themes that emerged in the focus groups.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Adaptations to the TECCU platform design to improve usability.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Adaptations to the communication process in the TECCU app.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Updates to the educational contents and the summary of the patients’ disease course in the TECCU app.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Torrent-Sellens J., Díaz-Chao Á., Soler-Ramos I., Saigí-Rubió F. Modelling and predicting ehealth usage in Europe: A multidimensional approach from an online survey of 13,000 European Union internet users. J. Med. Internet Res. 2016;18:e188. doi: 10.2196/jmir.5605. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Elbert N.J., van Os-Medendorp H., van Renselaar W., Ekeland A.G., Hakkaart-van Roijen L., Raat H., Pasmans S.G. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of ehealth interventions in somatic diseases: A systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. J. Med. Internet Res. 2014;16:e110. doi: 10.2196/jmir.2790. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Aguas Peris M., Del Hoyo J., Bebia P., Faubel R., Barrios A., Bastida G., Valdivieso B., Nos P. Telemedicine in inflammatory bowel disease: Opportunities and approaches. Inflamm. Bowel Dis. 2015;21:392–399. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0000000000000241. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Høivik M.L., Moum B., Solberg I.C., Henriksen M., Cvancarova M., Bernklev T. Work disability in inflammatory bowel disease patients 10 years after disease onset: Results from the IBSEN Study. Gut. 2013;62:368–375. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2012-302311. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hoivik M.L., Moum B., Solberg I.C., Cvancarova M., Hoie O., Vatn M.H. Health-related quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis after a 10-year disease course: Results from the IBSEN study. Inflamm. Bowel Dis. 2012;18:1540–1549. doi: 10.1002/ibd.21863. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types