Filling the Gaps: Utilising Telemonitoring Data in Multimodal Prehabilitation for Cancer Surgery

Multimodal prehabilitation for colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery aims to reduce postoperative complications, yet the role of telemonitoring data in prehabilitation remains underexplored compared to its established use in rehabilitation. To address this gap, we investigated clinicians’ data needs and preferred practices in CRC surgery prehabilitation through a study with seven healthcare professionals from various specialities, employing semi-structured interviews and card-sorting activities. Our results indicate that telemonitoring data could facilitate decision-making processes through actions such as collaborative interpretation, individual care provision, risk anticipation and collaborative pathway adjustments, serving as an auxiliary information layer that complements patient records and clinical expertise. We discuss key design challenges for integrating telemonitoring data in prehabilitation: clinicians’ data needs vary, shift over time, and can play a critical role in enabling diverse, interconnected actions within this fast-paced, task-intensive setting. We propose design considerations to address the complexity these factors introduce in developing effective decision-support systems for cancer surgery prehabilitation.