Usability and feasibility of a mobile application for real-time trauma care guidance: considerations for user adoption

Introduction

Inadequate access to clinical guidance influences the implementation of evidence-based clinical practices in trauma care settings. This guidance is not optimally effective if it cannot be disseminated in settings where it is most needed, leading to substantial inequities in trauma care. To address this problem, this project developed a trauma clinical guidance repository and accompanying mobile application and sought to elicit concept feedback.

Methods

As part of year 2 of the Design for Implementation: The Future of Trauma Clinical Guidance and Research Conference Series, attendees participated in interactive breakout sessions to generate user feedback and beta-test the clinical guidance repository and mobile phone application that was created after the first conference. A mixed-methods approach using interactive discussions and a post-conference survey was administered to elicit feedback from a largely academic, urban audience.

Results

56 post-conference survey responses were collected. Respondents provided detailed, indepth feedback on the display and user features of the mobile application and gave input on what factors they would prioritize to maximize the tool’s adoption, with the most frequent mentions being about logical and user-friendly application clickthrough. Areas of positive feedback included the repository’s novel contribution as a clinical tool and its potential to aid clinicians in resource-constrained settings. Components of the tool that participants believed required further iteration included ensuring clear, concise language and making it more user-friendly to retrieve information during emergent situations efficiently. A prominent theme throughout the sessions and survey is the necessity of continuous opportunities for feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, both clinical and non-clinical.

Discussion

For novel information dissemination platforms to be effective, clinical guidance must be continuously updated and presented in a user-friendly, logical format that allows clinicians to find and integrate information into practice seamlessly. Conceptual feedback will contribute to a better understanding of clinician needs, further elucidating the opportunities to match technology with bedside utility.

Level of Evidence: Level VI