1
|
Jovičić S, Siodmiak J, Alcorta MD, Kittel M, Oosterhuis W, Aakre KM, Jørgensen P, Palicka V, Kutt M, Anttonen M, Velizarova MG, Marc J. Quality benchmarking of smartphone laboratory medicine applications: comparison of laboratory medicine specialists' and non-laboratory medicine professionals' evaluation. Clin Chem Lab Med 2021; 59:693-699. [PMID: 33554583 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2020-0869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES There are many mobile health applications (apps) now available and some that use in some way laboratory medicine data. Among them, patient-oriented are of the lowest content quality. The aim of this study was to compare the opinions of non-laboratory medicine professionals (NLMP) with those of laboratory medicine specialists (LMS) and define the benchmarks for quality assessment of laboratory medicine apps. METHODS Twenty-five volunteers from six European countries evaluated 16 selected patient-oriented apps. Participants were 20-60 years old, 44% were females, with different educational degrees, and no professional involvement in laboratory medicine. Each participant completed a questionnaire based on the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) and the System Usability Scale, as previously used for rating the app quality by LMS. The responses from the two groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman correlation. RESULTS The median total score of NLMP app evaluation was 2.73 out of 5 (IQR 0.95) compared to 3.78 (IQR 1.05) by the LMS. All scores were statistically significantly lower in the NLMP group (p<0.05), except for the item Information quality (p=0.1631). The suggested benchmarks for a useful appear: increasing awareness of the importance and delivering an understanding of persons' own laboratory test results; understandable terminology; easy to use; appropriate graphic design, and trustworthy information. CONCLUSIONS NLMP' evaluation confirmed the low utility of currently available laboratory medicine apps. A reliable app should contain trustworthy and understandable information. The appearance of an app should be fit for purpose and easy to use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Snežana Jovičić
- Center for Medical Biochemistry, Clinical Center of Serbia, and Department for Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Joanna Siodmiak
- Department for Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Marta Duque Alcorta
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maximillian Kittel
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, University of Medicine, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Wytze Oosterhuis
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Zuyderland Medical Center, Heerlen-Sittard, The Netherlands
| | - Kristin Moberg Aakre
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; and Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Per Jørgensen
- Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vladimir Palicka
- Institute for Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Kralove and School of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marge Kutt
- Laboratory of Diagnostics Division, North Estonia Medical Centre Foundation, Talinn, Estonia
| | - Mikko Anttonen
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Helsinki, and HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mileva Georgieva Velizarova
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Medical University of Sofia, Alexander University Hospital, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Jania Marc
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Morley J, Floridi L. The Limits of Empowerment: How to Reframe the Role of mHealth Tools in the Healthcare Ecosystem. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ETHICS 2020; 26:1159-1183. [PMID: 31172424 PMCID: PMC7286867 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-019-00115-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This article highlights the limitations of the tendency to frame health- and wellbeing-related digital tools (mHealth technologies) as empowering devices, especially as they play an increasingly important role in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. It argues that mHealth technologies should instead be framed as digital companions. This shift from empowerment to companionship is advocated by showing the conceptual, ethical, and methodological issues challenging the narrative of empowerment, and by arguing that such challenges, as well as the risk of medical paternalism, can be overcome by focusing on the potential for mHealth tools to mediate the relationship between recipients of clinical advice and givers of clinical advice, in ways that allow for contextual flexibility in the balance between patiency and agency. The article concludes by stressing that reframing the narrative cannot be the only means for avoiding harm caused to the NHS as a healthcare system by the introduction of mHealth tools. Future discussion will be needed on the overarching role of responsible design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Morley
- Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, 1 St Giles, Oxford, OX1 3JS, UK.
| | - Luciano Floridi
- Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, 1 St Giles, Oxford, OX1 3JS, UK
- The Alan Turing Institute, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Neumaier
- President of the European Federation for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ian D Watson
- Former President of the European Federation for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Department Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, UK
| |
Collapse
|