AUTHOR=Seregni Agnese , Tricomi Enrica , Tropea Peppino , Del Pino Rocio , Gómez-Esteban Juan Carlos , Gabilondo Inigo , Díez-Cirarda María , Schlieter Hannes , Gand Kai , Corbo Massimo 

TITLE=Virtual Coaching for Rehabilitation: The Participatory Design Experience of the vCare Project

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.748307

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2021.748307

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=End-user involvement constitutes an essential goal during development of innovative solution, not only for the evaluation, but also in co-design, following a user-centred strategy. Indeed, it is a great asset of research to base the study in a user-centered approach, because it allows to build a platform that will respond to the real needs of users.
The aims of the present work are to present the methodology adopted to involve end-users (i.e., neurological patients, healthy elderly and health professionals) in the evaluation of a novel virtual coaching system based on personalized clinical pathways and to present the results obtained from these preliminary activities. Specific activities involving end-users were planned along the development phases and are referred to as Participatory Design. The user experience of Participatory Design is constituted by two different phases: the End-User’s Perspective phase where the user involvement in experiential activities is from an observational point of view, while the Field study phase is the direct participation in these activities. Both evaluation tools (i.e., scales, questionnaires, interviews) were planned to assess different aspects of the system.
Thirty patients (14 with post stroke condition and 16 with Parkinson’s Disease), 13 healthy elderly and 6 health professionals were enrolled from two clinical centres during the two phases of Participatory Design.
Results from End-User Perspective phase showed globally a positive preliminary perception of the service. Overall a positive evaluation (i.e., UEQ median score > 1) was obtained for each domain of the scale both in the groups of patients and healthy subjects.
The evaluation of the vCare system during the Field study phase was evaluated as excellent (>80 points) from both patients and health professionals. According to the majority of patients, the rehabilitation service through the solution was reported to be interesting, engaging, entertaining, challenging and useful for improving impaired motor functions and making patients aware of their cognitive abilities. Once refined and fine-tuned in the aspects highlighted in the present paper, the system will be clinically tested at user’s home to measure the real impact of the rehabilitative coaching services.