Patient experience using digital therapy “Vigo” for stroke patient recovery: a qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

Background

The digital assistant “Vigo” is a computer-generated artificial intelligence-based application that serves as a digital assistant to a stroke patient and his family. With its conversational chatbot and gamification elements it counsels, educates, and trains the stroke patient and patient's family on stroke, rehabilitation, care, and other related issues.

Aim

This study describes insights about The digital assitant “Vigo” usability from a patients' perspective.

Methods

Twelve patients tested the application at their home environment. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant to obtain information on the usability of the application. Deductive thematic analyses were used to analyze trancripts.

Results

Participants expressed their opinions on music, pictures, video and audio files, chat options, layout, text, name of application and stand that is used for placement of devices on which “Vigo” is installed on. All participants generally evaluated application as transparent, understandable, and handy. The overall design of the application was rated as good. Participants were mostly unsatisfied with difficulty level and diversity of exercises.

Conclusions

Participants had a positive attitude towards using tablet tehchnologies in their home environment. Users of digital assistant “Vigo” acknowledged its ability to support, give educational information and increase participation in therapeutic activities.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Tablet application can support, give educational information, and increase participation in therapeutic activities for persons after stroke.

• As home-based rehabilitation tool, the content of the application must be simple, flexible, and diverse, to face the challenges of meeting each individual's goals, functional needs and abilities.

Keywords:

• Stroke
• rehabilitation
• digital therapeutic
• qualitative study

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Kseniya Mischenko and for help with data gathering and Agnese Kārliņa for help with selection of participants.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no financial or non-financial competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support is provided within the framework of the European Regional Development Fund project “Technology Transfer Program” [project ID No. 1.2.1.2/16/001].