Design and Evaluation of a Smartphone-Based Application to Manage the Treatment of People with Heart Failure

Abstract Aims: Patients with heart failure need training and support regarding the drug diet, how to use medications, diet, activities, and appropriate action when symptoms occur. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a smartphone-based application to manage the treatment of people with heart failure. Materials and Methods: In this developmental-applied study with the software design approach, from December 2017 to July 2018, in order to determine the capabilities and data needed for the application, searches in databases, review the texts, and health experts' opinion were used and the program was designed under the Android operating system with a dashboard under Windows. The program in the treatment management was evaluated based on the Smartphone Application Scale (MARS), the performance score of the Institute of Health Informatics (IMS), and the compliance with the Guide to the American Heart Failure Association (HFSA) by 20 patients with heart failure and their family, health staff, and programmers. Findings: The smartphone-based application with the mean score of 10.70±0.86 in the MARS scale, the mean score of 9.00±0.87 in the IMS scale, and the mean score of 7.7±0.79 according to HFSA criteria was evaluated as desirable. Conclusion: The use of a smartphone-based application can be useful in treatment management and self-care of patients with heart failure.