Stepping toward implementation using co-design: development of hospital protocols and resources for using wearable activity trackers in a hospital service

Kimberley Szeto ^1* Aaron Davis ^1,2 John Arnold ¹ Ian Gwilt ² Aislin Forrest ³ Isaac Heyne ³ Anthony Hewitt ⁴ Peter Diestel-Feddersen ⁴ Dominique Edwards ⁴ Ben Singh ¹ Carol Maher ¹

• ¹ Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
• ² Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Australia
• ³ UniSA Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• ⁴ Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN), Adelaide, Australia

Low levels of patient physical activity during a hospital stay are linked to a variety of poor outcomes. Wearable activity trackers can help to boost patient activity and improve other outcomes during a hospitalisation, but a range of implementation barriers exist. Co-design research methodologies provide opportunities to bridge evidence-practice gaps, such as the implementation of wearable activity trackers to promote patient activity, by developing solutions and strategies in collaboration with key stakeholders. This co-design study aimed to develop a protocol and resources to support the implementation of wearable activity trackers into a rehabilitation service at a South Australian hospital. Three co-design workshops that employed an involvement partnership with 26 rehabilitation clinicians were conducted. User journey storyboards, empathy maps, and world café activities were used to understand processes of using technology with patients in the hospital, identify protocol components for using WATs, and create resources to support its implementation. Using a co-design approach, this study developed a protocol for using WATs in a hospital rehabilitation services, identified key themes underpinning its implementation, and created a set of resources to support its delivery.'co-designers' who work with researchers to develop solutions, rather than involving stakeholders as subjects that researchers perform research 'on' or about (2). Partnering with stakeholders to develop solutions means that co-design research can help bridge evidence-practice gaps, leading to outcomes that are specific to the context of their application.