Exploring clinicians' perspectives on falls, balance and gait assessments to inform wearable device development. “Adding to the bigger picture of the patient in falls assessments”

Six overarching themes were identified: "History of falls is key", "Ecologically valid data", Multidisciplinary approach, "Data that helps", "Data causes anxiety", and "Wearable literacy". Exploration of these indicated that, if developed appropriately, wearable devices could support the clinical assessment and management of patients at risk of falls by providing ecologically valid, temporaneous and objective data related to modifiable risk factors of falls. This study outlines key priorities in falls assessment from clinicians' perspectives to inform device developers and highlight how a collaborative approach, engaging with clinicians, is necessary to facilitate development and integration of devices into patient pathways in a manner that is acceptable and useful to key stakeholders.