Assessing the Need and Viability of a Disease Management App

Challenge

A global healthcare client sought to evaluate the feasibility of developing a disease management app. The primary goal was to understand the unmet needs of patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs), assess the perceived value of the app, and gauge its potential for adoption. The challenge was to gather actionable insights to inform the app’s development, functionality, and distribution strategy.

Approach

To address this challenge, a structured, patient-centric research process was designed and implemented:

Understanding the Patient Experience

"Lived With" Insights: We conducted a series of activities to explore the day-to-day experiences of patients and carers living with the condition. This helped uncover the specific pain points and gaps in support that a digital solution could address.

Behavioral Interviews

Needs Exploration: Follow-up interviews with patients and carers focused on validating the areas of unmet need.
Behavioral Insights: We examined current habits, barriers, and motivators related to technology use in disease management.

Co-Creation Workshop

Feature Development: Patients and carers collaborated in a workshop setting to co-create potential features for the app, ensuring alignment with real-world needs.
Adoption Exploration: Discussions centered around the likelihood of uptake and how to make the app an integral part of disease management routines.
Distribution Strategy: Participants provided insights into the best ways to distribute and promote the app, including partnerships with HCPs and digital platforms.

Outcome

The research provided critical insights that enabled our client to make informed decisions about the disease management app:

Value Assessment:
- Confirmed the app’s potential to address key unmet needs for both patients and carers, such as tracking symptoms, medication reminders, and access to trusted resources.
Feature Scope:
- Defined a clear set of features based on patient input, balancing functionality with budget considerations.
Adoption Potential:
- Evaluated the likelihood of app uptake and identified strategies to maximize engagement, including the role of HCP recommendations in driving adoption.

Key Takeaway

By incorporating patient and carer input throughout the development process, the client ensured that the disease management app would not only meet user needs but also achieve high levels of engagement. This approach demonstrates how co-creation and behavioral insights can drive the success of digital health solutions.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you design patient-centered digital solutions that deliver real impact.