Wearable sensor data visualization for patient monitoring and management: a Cancer Wellness application in Vietnam

<b>Background:</b> This study incorporates Fitbit wearable sensor technology into a mobile application named Cancer Wellness Program (CWP) for patient monitoring. The objective of this study is to explore the experiences of healthcare providers in using the CWP application for managing symptoms of people with cancer and in delivering health education programs. <b>Methods</b>: A qualitative study design with a purposive sampling approach was employed, using a structured, in-depth interview method to involve 15 healthcare workers. <b>Results:</b> Key features of the CWP application include a patient education platform, a dashboard to monitor patient health data and learning progress, and interactive communication between the two parties. Multiple advantages of this application were identified by healthcare providers, namely user-friendliness, data aggregation and personalization. <b>Conclusion:</b> Despite minor technical drawbacks, the CWP application proves to be a powerful assistant for healthcare providers to optimize patient care. Cancer is one of the leading causes of illness and death worldwide, making the management process requires close monitoring and personalized care. Advances in technology, like wearable fitness trackers, offer new ways to support patients and healthcare providers. This study focused on using Fitbit devices and a newly developed app, the Cancer Wellness Program (CWP), to help healthcare providers track cancer patients’ health and deliver tailored health education. The CWP app combines data collected from Fitbit, such as step counts, heart rate, and sleep patterns, into an easy-to-use platform for healthcare providers. The app also includes a learning feature that offers personalized courses to help patients understand their health better. Fifteen healthcare providers in Vietnam participated in the study to evaluate the app’s usability, strengths, and challenges. Participants found the CWP app helpful for monitoring patients and creating personalized care plans. Some of the outstanding features are the app’s user-friendly design and ability to present data in clear graphs and charts. However, they noted challenges, such as occasional issues with Fitbit connectivity, limitations in older patients using the devices, and the time required to manage the app in clinical settings. The study highlights the potential of wearable devices and apps to improve cancer care meanwhile discusses the need for further development to address usability issues, especially for older adults. The study evaluates the Cancer Wellness Program (CWP) app for healthcare providers in tracking patient health data, making informed decisions, and tailoring patient health education.The CWP app is a comprehensive health monitoring program which displays: (1) vital signs tracking integrated from Fitbit devices, (2) a Clinician Dashboard for healthcare providers to supervise and communicate with patients, and (3) a Patient Dashboard with e-learning courses for self-education. This program offers user-friendly data visualization, efficient aggregation, customizability, and a dedicated learning platform, potentially aiding healthcare providers in patient monitoring and performance management.Healthcare providers can use the CWP app to track patient outcomes, identify trends, address gaps in care for improved treatment, and deliver personalized health education sessions.Potential drawbacks of the CWP app include concerns about data loss, accuracy, and connectivity issues, requiring mechanisms for offline access and data recovery.The study recommends implementing secure cloud storage solutions to enhance data reliability and redundancy.The study acknowledges limitations in sampling, urging future research to validate the findings in larger and more diverse healthcare settings. The study evaluates the Cancer Wellness Program (CWP) app for healthcare providers in tracking patient health data, making informed decisions, and tailoring patient health education. The CWP app is a comprehensive health monitoring program which displays: (1) vital signs tracking integrated from Fitbit devices, (2) a Clinician Dashboard for healthcare providers to supervise and communicate with patients, and (3) a Patient Dashboard with e-learning courses for self-education. This program offers user-friendly data visualization, efficient aggregation, customizability, and a dedicated learning platform, potentially aiding healthcare providers in patient monitoring and performance management. Healthcare providers can use the CWP app to track patient outcomes, identify trends, address gaps in care for improved treatment, and deliver personalized health education sessions. Potential drawbacks of the CWP app include concerns about data loss, accuracy, and connectivity issues, requiring mechanisms for offline access and data recovery. The study recommends implementing secure cloud storage solutions to enhance data reliability and redundancy. The study acknowledges limitations in sampling, urging future research to validate the findings in larger and more diverse healthcare settings.