Chelsea Obua
Research Mentor: Yun Jiang
Mentor Department: Not Available, Nursing
Author(s): Chelsea Obua, Chelsea Frank, Yun Jiang
Session: Session 2 (10:00 AM – 10:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 102
Abstract
To support patient medication self-management effectively, researchers and technology developers must understand patients’ needs and design features that can engage and empower patients in managing their health and health care. Poor design can cause frustration and may increase patients’ psychological stress. This study aimed to identify the design features of online medical tools that are most important for supporting positive patient experiences. Literature on digital health platforms was reviewed to identify design features that support medication self-management effectiveness. Some key capabilities included secure messaging systems, intuitive structural design, and personalized educational resources. To evaluate the practicality of these design features, a digital medication self-tracking tool developed by the study team at the U-M, in collaboration with researchers from UTHealth Houston, was pilot-tested. Preliminary analysis of survey responses and platform user feedback has highlighted that structural self-reporting forms, symptom-tracking dashboards, trustworthy systems, and accessibility were the most important platform features. Most participants reported that these features were beneficial, indicating that they are critical components of effective digital health tools. The study is ongoing. Further findings will demonstrate the importance of usability, accessibility, and trust in the design of effective digital medical tools. These results will also provide actionable guidance for healthcare professionals, designers, and developers by distinguishing essential from supplementary design elements. Future research could expand this work by evaluating additional features and different types of medical platforms.
