BACKGROUND
A patient’s capability, motivation, and opportunity to change their lifestyle are significant determinants of successful outcomes following bariatric surgery. Healthier lifestyle changes before and after surgery, including improved dietary intake and physical activity levels, have been shown to contribute to greater post-surgical weight loss and improved long-term health. Integrating patient-centered digital technologies within the bariatric surgical pathway could form part of an innovative strategy to promote and sustain healthier behaviours and provide holistic patient support, to improve surgical success. Research has focused on implementing digital technologies and measuring their effectiveness in various surgical cohorts, yet there is limited work concerning the desires, suggestions and reflections of patients undergoing bariatric surgery. This qualitative investigation explores patient perspectives on technology features that would support them to change their lifestyle behaviours during the pre- and post-operative periods, to potentially maintain long-term healthy lifestyles following surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To understand how digital technologies could be used to better support patients across the perioperative pathway to improve weight-loss outcomes and surgical success. Specifically, the objectives concerned: 1) what do patients want from digital technologies, 2) how do they want to use them, and 3) when would they be of most benefit during their surgical journey?
METHODS
Patients attending bariatric surgery clinics within one hospital in the North of England were invited to take part. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively sampled pre- and post-operative bariatric surgical patients to discuss lifestyle behaviour change and the use of digital technologies to complement their care. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis enabled the development of themes from the data. Ethical approval was obtained from the NHS Health Research Authority.
RESULTS
Twenty patients were interviewed. Four overarching themes were developed from the data relating to perspectives of optimised technology functionality. These centered on providing tailored content and support; facilitating self-monitoring and goal-setting; delivering information in an accessible, trusted, and usable manner; and meeting patient information-seeking and engagement needs. Interventions that supported the delivery of personalized feedback and post-operative follow-up were perceived as beneficial. Individualized goal- and target-setting could further support a generation of digitally engaged patients with bariatric conditions. Working towards achievable targets was deemed an effective strategy to successfully motivate behaviour change. The creation of digital ‘package of care’ checklists between patients and clinicians was a novel finding from this research.
CONCLUSIONS
Perceptions of patients undergoing bariatric surgery validated the integration of digital technologies within the surgical pathway, offering enhanced connectedness and support. Recommendations are made that relate to the design, content and functionality of digital interventions to best address the needs of this patient cohort. These findings have the potential to influence future co-design and integration of person-centered, perioperative technologies within surgical pathways.
CLINICALTRIAL
N/A
Designing digital health technology to support patients before and after bariatric surgery: a qualitative study exploring patient desires, suggestions and reflections to support lifestyle behaviour change. (Preprint)