Using Mobile Health Applications in Postoperative Care: Patients’ and Healthcare Providers’ Experiences

Abstract

Mobile health applications have revolutionized healthcare, enhancing patient engagement, providing health information, and improving clinical outcomes. However, inclusivity and monitoring of technology's impact on workflow are crucial for full realization. The purpose of this study is to describe the experiences of both patients and healthcare providers in utilizing mobile health applications in postoperative care and the aim is to produce knowledge that could be used to improve the practices of both patients and healthcare providers when using mobile health applications in postoperative care. This study employs a qualitative, descriptive review method to explore patients' and healthcare providers' experiences with mobile health applications in postoperative care, focusing on experiences and inductive and dynamic research techniques. Through inductive content analysis, two main categories were identified: patients' experiences and providers' experiences. The content was further subdivided into five generic categories. The study used a Boolean Technique to tailor a search strategy for databases CINAHL Complete and PubMed, utilizing AND, OR, and NOT commands for specific results. This study gathered 13 articles from 2015-2023, published in various countries, including the USA, Canada, Sweden, Australia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the UK/Ireland. The population included patients who underwent postoperative surgeries, including breast reconstruction, abdominal surgery, orthopedic surgery, etc, and healthcare providers who performed these surgeries. The literature review examines the use of mobile health applications in postoperative care, focusing on obtaining acceptance, healthcare communications, postoperative care, accessibility, and future preferences. It highlights the benefits of these apps in enhancing patient engagement, promoting accessibility, and empowering patients. Mobile health applications are gaining popularity in postoperative care for improved recovery management. However, challenges include privacy, security, usability, and information overload. Recommendations include prioritizing patient data privacy, providing training, involving patients and healthcare providers in app design, and implementing continuous evaluation.