Healthcare Providers' Perspectives on Using Smart Home Systems to Improve Self-management and Care in People with Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study

Background: Smart home systems can potentially improve heart failure (HF) self-management and care. However, evidence is lacking on clinicians' expectations and opinions about these systems. This study aimed to investigate key healthcare providers' perspectives on using smart home systems for self-management and care in people with HF.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively selected healthcare providers experienced in caring for people with HF in Australia. Participants were presented with a schematic for a prototype smart home system comprising a central hub connected with medical devices and sensors. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used to establish the perceived benefits and barriers to using smart home systems and enhance the self-management of people with HF.

Results: Overall, participants reported that smart home systems could improve the self-management of people with HF with some reservations and suggestions. Four substantive themes emerged from the qualitative findings: role of smart home systems in self-management, suggested features of a smart home system, benefits of smart home system, and factors that may influence smart home system uptake. Participants shared several reservations, such as the potential for increased workload and difficulty of technology use for some patients due to age and HF-related disabilities. Participants highlighted that the abilities and needs of people with HF must be considered when developing any smart home systems. Furthermore, these systems might benefit health institutions and people with HF by allowing remote monitoring and services and allowing patients to live at home independently.

Conclusion: Healthcare providers considered smart home systems might be potentially helpful to monitor HF patients and deliver interventions to improve their lives, despite several reservations. Future research is needed to address these reservations, identify the needs and abilities of people with HF to use technologies, effects of smart home systems on HF self-management and their impact on clinical practice and health outcomes.