Becoming data. Patient perspectives on using an eTool in physiotherapy sessions

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this investigation was to gain insights into how patients experience using an electronic tool as part of their physiotherapy assessment, goal setting, and treatment planning.

The research data were generated through close observation of eight clinical encounters in primary health care, where the electronic tool was used. Observations were followed by interviews with physiotherapists and patients involved. This manuscript elaborates on the patient informants’ perspectives. The analyses, inspired by postphenomenological theory and research, sheds light on patients’ concerns whether reliance on what they perceive as fragmented and incomplete data generated from PROM tools will obscure health matters rather than provide health benefits.

By various means, including translations, adaptions, and editing together with their physiotherapist, patients were often able to manage their data into, for them, an acceptable, recognizable form.

The investigation highlights that for patients to have confidence in this technology, and particularly the methodology of PROMs, they need to trust the way data is handled and interpreted.

KEYWORDS:

• Ehealth
• postphenomenology
• clinical encounter
• FYSIOPRIM

Acknowledgments

We are very grateful to Sylvi Sand, for organizing an informant rally for us.

Acknowledgments to Kari Anne Indredavik Evensen and Ingebrigt Meisingset who developed the original table of elements from The FYSIOPRIM. Reference: Evensen KAI, Robinson HS, Meisingset I, Woodhouse A, Thielemann M, Bjorbækmo WS, Myhre G, Hansen AE, Vasseljen O, Vollestad NK 2018 Characteristics, course and outcome of patients receiving physiotherapy in primary health care in Norway: design of a longitudinal observational project. BMC Health Services Research 18: 936.

We humbly thank the patients and physiotherapists who so ‘patiently’ accepted the researcher’s presence and scrutiny.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support from The Norwegian Fund for Post-Graduate Training in Physiotherapy is greatly acknowledged through the funding of The FYSIOPRIM.