An mHealth application for chronic vascular access: Consumer led co-creation.

Purpose: Children with chronic and complex health conditions frequently need intravenous devices. The current approach to intravenous device selection, insertion, and monitoring is inconsistent, and healthcare consumers are often negatively affected by siloed health information, and poor future planning. Despite child- and family-centred care being recognised as a pillar of paediatric nursing care, limited implementation for vascular access device planning and management is evident.
Design and Methods: To address this, we conducted a multi-phased approach to co-create, then evaluate, a mobile health (mHealth) application: IV Passport. Co-creation involved a prioritisation survey, followed by a Passport advisory panel consensus meeting. Following confirmation of the required content and features of the Passport, the mHealth application was designed and content validation achieved via survey.
Results: The prioritisation survey yielded recommendations for seven features (e.g., graphical presentations of current/past devices). Content for nine device types (e.g., totally implanted ports) was suggested, each with 10 related items (e.g., insertion site). Content items for device-associated complications, future vascular access plans, and educational resources were also suggested. Following design, the application was released through Apple and Android platforms; and adapted to a paper version. Content validation was established; 100% strongly agreed the application was easy to use; 80% agreed/strongly agreed that they would recommend the Passport to others.
Conclusion: IV Passport embodies effective child- and family-centred care through consumer co-creation to empower patients and families manage vascular access devices.
Practice Implications: IV Passport remains active; and can be utilised across many healthcare settings and patient populations.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest A.J.U. reports investigator-initiated research grants and speaker fees provided to Griffith University (her previous employer) and the University of Queensland (her current employer) from vascular access product manufacturers (3 M and Becton Dickinson), unrelated to this project. T.M.K. declares investigator-initiated research grants and speaker fees provided to her previous employer Griffith University from vascular access product manufacturers (3 M, BD-Bard, Medical Specialties Australia, Smiths Medical, Vygon), unrelated to this project. NM. reports investigator-initiated research grants and speaker fees provided to Griffith University or University of Queensland on her behalf from vascular access product manufacturers (3 M, BD-Bard;, Eloquest Healthcare) M.C. declares investigator-initiated research grants and provided to Griffith University (her previous employer) by vascular access product manufacturer Becton Dickinson, unrelated to this project. C.M.R. reports investigator-initiated research grants and consultancy fees provided to Griffith University or University of Queensland on her behalf from vascular access product manufacturers (3 M, BD-Bard; Cardinal Health, Eloquest Healthcare, ITL Biomedical), unrelated to this project. E.N.L reports investigator-initiated research grants and educational scholarships provided to Griffith University (employer) and University of Queensland (affiliate) from vascular access product manufacturers (Angiodynamics, Cardinal Health, and Eloquest), unrelated to this project. The remaining authors have no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose.
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