Designing an IoT-based intervention system for supporting patient adherence to inhalation therapy

This study presents an innovative intervention system, conceptualized within the framework of the Internet of Things (IoT), with a dedicated focus on supporting patient adherence to inhalation therapy. Employing a participatory design approach, we actively engaged patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) to collaboratively ideate on the system's core functionalities, determine the configuration of its components, and evaluate user preferences in interface design. The study examines how patients and HCPs were involved in the system's design, where the system is thoughtfully segmented into three critical domains: monitoring, knowledge and assessment, and feedback. Within these domains, continuous surveillance via sensor technology is essential, particularly for physiological status, inhaler usage, and environmental factors. In terms of interface preferences, patients favoured more engaging infographic charts, while HCPs preferred professional data visualization views. These interventions, leveraging IoT, aim to improve patient adherence to inhalation therapy and lay a solid foundation for future research and development in this burgeoning field.