What patients and care partners want in a wearable dialysis device: a mixed-methods study

Abstract

Abstract Few studies have explored the similarities and differences between patients’ and care partners’ perspectives in terms of their ideal dialysis procedure and desired outcomes. As part of a project to improve the quality of life of patients with end-stage renal disease, we elicited unbiased feedback from both patients and care partners regarding the design of a wearable dialysis device tailored to meet users’ clinical needs. We interviewed 24 hemodialysis patients and 12 hemodialysis care partners using a mixed-methods approach of open-ended and rank-order questions. Inductive content analysis showed that both patients and care partners preferred a wearable dialysis device that a patient could carry on their upper body, particularly on their back or shoulder, or wear as a vest. Analysis of responses to the rank-order questions showed a significant preference for a vest design. Operational simplicity and compactness were the attributes most frequently mentioned in response to the open-ended questions, while the accuracy of the device was ranked as significantly more important than ease of attachment, comfort, simplicity, size, or invisibility in response to the rank-order questions. The findings from this study will help to ensure that new wearable dialysis devices are designed in accordance with patients’ and care partners’ preferences.