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L. Brennan1, C. Condon2
1Trinity College Dublin, Discipline of Surgery, Dublin, Ireland, 2Trinity College Dublin, Discipline of Physiotherapy, Dublin, Ireland
Background: Mobile applications (apps) are increasingly being developed for, and used in, physiotherapy practice. Research shows that apps can improve data collection, communication and even patient engagement. However, apps pose challenges to professional practice: the apps industry is unregulated, issues with data protection and quality are common, and physiotherapists have varying levels of digital skills to use and appraise apps.
As apps become more widely used in physiotherapy practice, we need a detailed understanding of how they are used, what are they used for, which apps are used, and what matters to physiotherapists when choosing apps to use with patents.
As apps become more widely used in physiotherapy practice, we need a detailed understanding of how they are used, what are they used for, which apps are used, and what matters to physiotherapists when choosing apps to use with patents.
Purpose: To explore the use of mobile health apps in clinical practice by Physiotherapists in Ireland. In particular, we will i. identify and classify the apps used; ii. identify the factors important to physiotherapists when prescribing apps to patients.
Methods: We developed an online survey using Qualtrics Software, based upon work of Rowe et al. (2020) and Hensher et al. (2021). The survey explored prevalence of and reasons for app usage, and included two rating scale matrices, with a total of 17 factors related to healthcare apps, based upon Hensher et al. (2021). Respondents rated each factor as either: ‘very important’, ‘moderately important’ or ‘not important’.
The survey was piloted with a small sample (n=8), revised, and then distributed via email to members of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists.
The survey was piloted with a small sample (n=8), revised, and then distributed via email to members of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists.
Results: 158 respondents completed the survey: mean age 40 +/- 11 years; based in private practice n = 63; acute hospital n = 29, primary care n = 27; other and misc n= 29.
Apps were used in clinical practice by 76.4% of respondents, and 50.4% used apps daily. 54.5% had prescribed apps to patients as part of their physiotherapy management.
Physiotherapists reported n=161 different apps, which we categorised by purpose. The top three categories were Objective Measurement (n=20), Exercise Prescription and Tracking (n=16) and Administration (n=15).
The 5 factors with the highest percentage of ‘very important’ ratings were:
• Easy to use for patients 96%
• Accurate information 88%
• Purpose of app is clearly stated and understood 77%
• High level of data privacy 76%
• Is engaging to use 68%
The 5 factors with the highest percentage of ‘not important’ ratings were:
• Allows data sharing between physio and client 38%
• Approved by HSE, NHS or other health system 36%
• Does not need internet connection to work 25%
• Data is automatically recorded and stored 25%
• Colleague recommendation 23%
Apps were used in clinical practice by 76.4% of respondents, and 50.4% used apps daily. 54.5% had prescribed apps to patients as part of their physiotherapy management.
Physiotherapists reported n=161 different apps, which we categorised by purpose. The top three categories were Objective Measurement (n=20), Exercise Prescription and Tracking (n=16) and Administration (n=15).
The 5 factors with the highest percentage of ‘very important’ ratings were:
• Easy to use for patients 96%
• Accurate information 88%
• Purpose of app is clearly stated and understood 77%
• High level of data privacy 76%
• Is engaging to use 68%
The 5 factors with the highest percentage of ‘not important’ ratings were:
• Allows data sharing between physio and client 38%
• Approved by HSE, NHS or other health system 36%
• Does not need internet connection to work 25%
• Data is automatically recorded and stored 25%
• Colleague recommendation 23%
Conclusions: In this sample, mobile apps are commonly used in all aspects of practice and throughout the patient journey. Physiotherapists choose apps primarily based on usability and data privacy; factors related to credibility were less important and technology-specific factors ranked lowest. Future work can explore patient perspectives and larger, international populations.
Implications: This data provides novel and baseline information about app usage in physiotherapy practice in Ireland. Effectively using and appraising apps is an increasingly important digital health competency for physiotherapists. More education and research is required to inform and empower physiotherapists to suitably use apps in clinical practice.
Funding acknowledgements: This study was not funded by any external body.
Keywords:
Mobile apps
Digital health
Survey
Mobile apps
Digital health
Survey
Topics:
Innovative technology: information management, big data and artificial intelligence
Professional issues
Service delivery/emerging roles
Innovative technology: information management, big data and artificial intelligence
Professional issues
Service delivery/emerging roles
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Committee: School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee
Ethics number: 20211006
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
