Healthcare worker feedback on a prototype smartphone-based point-of-care test platform for use in episodic care

Area of Science:

• Medical Diagnostics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Public Health

Background:

• End-user acceptability is critical for the successful adoption of new point-of-care (POC) testing platforms.
• Technical evaluations of novel POC tests are frequent, but user acceptance studies are less common.
• This gap hinders the translation of innovative POC technologies into clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the end-user acceptability of an experimental POC test platform with novel features.
• To identify key factors influencing user acceptance of new diagnostic technologies.
• To provide insights for the design and implementation of future POC tests.

Main Methods:

• Development of a prototype smartphone-based sexually transmitted infection (STI) test.
• Evaluation of the prototype by emergency department (ED) technicians.
• Administration of a survey to assess user acceptability factors.

Main Results:

• The study identified specific design features of the prototype that influenced end-user acceptability.
• Technician feedback highlighted areas for improvement in usability and integration into clinical workflows.
• Acceptability varied based on different technical features of the novel POC platform.

Conclusions:

• End-user feedback is essential for refining POC test designs.
• Smartphone-based diagnostic platforms show potential but require user-centered design considerations.
• Further research should focus on validating user acceptability across diverse healthcare settings and user groups.