Common Barriers to the Use of Patient-Generated Data Across Clinical Settings

Patient-generated data, such as data from wearable fitness trackers and smartphone apps, are viewed as a valuable information source towards personalised healthcare. However, studies in specific clinical settings have revealed diverse barriers to their effective use. In this paper, we address the following question: are there barriers prevalent across distinct workflows in clinical settings to using patient-generated data? We conducted a two-part investigation: a literature review of studies identifying such barriers; and interviews with clinical specialists across multiple roles, including emergency care, cardiology, mental health, and general practice. We identify common barriers in a six-stage workflow model of aligning patient and clinician objectives, judging data quality, evaluating data utility, rearranging data into a clinical format, interpreting data, and deciding on a plan or action. This workflow establishes common ground for HCI practitioners and researchers to explore solutions to improving the use of patient-generated data in clinical practices.