Patients' needs regarding rehabilitation services delivered via mobile applications after arthroplasty: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To obtain an in-depth understanding of the specific needs of patients for rehabilitation services delivered via mobile applications after total hip or knee arthroplasty.

Background: Due to increased demand for arthroplasty, the provision of face-to-face rehabilitation services for patients is becoming challenging. New approaches using digital technologies are being developed, such as mobile applications to deliver rehabilitation services. However, the perspectives of patients on the delivery of these services via mobile applications after total hip or knee arthroplasty have not been explored extensively.

Design: A qualitative descriptive study.

Methods: Twenty patients who had been discharged from the hospital after a total hip or knee arthroplasty were interviewed via telephone about their needs regarding the future use of mobile applications to conduct arthroplasty rehabilitation. Interview records were transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive content analysis. Reporting of the findings complies with the COREQ checklist for qualitative studies.

Results: Four categories emerged from the data collected from the participants: (1) assisting rehabilitation self-management, (2) facilitating peer support, (3) facilitating contact with healthcare professionals and (4) supporting emotional well-being.

Conclusions: The study provided an in-depth understanding of the specific needs of patients for rehabilitation services delivered via mobile applications after total hip or knee arthroplasty. The findings of the study could be used in the development or revision of mobile application rehabilitation programmes to better support the rehabilitation of patients. Future studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of such programmes, especially including the self-efficacy of patients as an outcome measure.

Relevance to clinical practice: From the perspective of patients who have undergone arthroplasty, a mobile application rehabilitation programme should encourage patients in rehabilitation self-management, assist them to contact healthcare professionals and other patients and support their postoperative emotional well-being. The study findings will assist nurses with the preparation and delivery of telerehabilitation programmes after arthroplasty.

Keywords: hip replacement; knee replacement; mobile applications; qualitative research; self-efficacy; telerehabilitation.