Use of Human-Centered Design Methodology to Develop a Digital Toolkit to Optimize Heart Failure Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy

Background: Guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMTs) improve quality of life and health outcomes for patients with heart failure (HF). However, GDMT utilization is suboptimal among patients with HF. Objective: The aims of this study were to engage key stakeholders in semistructured, virtual human-centered design sessions to identify challenges in GDMT optimization posthospitalization and inform the development of a digital toolkit aimed at optimizing HF GDMTs. Methods: For the human-centered design sessions, we recruited (a) clinicians who care for patients with HF across 3 hospital systems, (b) patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (ejection fraction ≤ 40%) discharged from the hospital within 30 days of enrollment, and (c) caregivers. All participants were 18 years or older, English speaking, with Internet access. Results: A total of 10 clinicians (median age, 37 years [interquartile range, 35–41], 12 years [interquartile range, 10–14] of experience caring for patients with HF, 80% women, 50% White, 50% nurse practitioners) and three patients and one caregiver (median age 57 years [IQR: 53–60], 75% men, 50% Black, 75% married) were included. Five themes emerged from the clinician sessions on challenges to GDMT optimization (eg, barriers to patient buy-in). Six themes on challenges (eg, managing medications), 4 themes on motivators (eg, regaining independence), and 3 themes on facilitators (eg, social support) to HF management arose from the patient and caregiver sessions. Conclusions: The clinician, patient, and caregiver insights identified through human-centered design will inform a digital toolkit aimed at optimizing HF GDMTs, including a patient-facing smartphone application and clinician dashboard. This digital toolkit will be evaluated in a multicenter, clinical trial.