Pressure ulcers are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized, institutionalized, and mobility-compromised Veterans, and the prevalence of pressure ulcers has been an ongoing challenge for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). With the VA currently serving World War II- through Post-911-era Veterans with Service-, age-, and illness-related physical and cognitive limitations, the VA sought an innovative solution to educate and support the full spectrum of Veterans at risk of developing pressure ulcers. They selected the VA Pressure Ulcer Resource (VAPUR) project to design a hybrid Mobile Application (App) providing this “just-in-time� education and performance support for Veterans and their Caregivers. In addition to educational content structured as frequently asked questions with graphics and videos, the App allows Veterans to securely self-report wound data to the VA using a simply worded form. This reporting capability enhances the VA’s ability to monitor Veterans who live too far from specialized wound care facilities to get regular pressure ulcer care. The App supports Veterans with cognitive limitations by automating functions like setting reminders for daily tasks, dialing help and locating resources, and communicating with medical providers. The VA Human Factors Team tested the App with Veterans to ensure usability heuristics and industry-wide standards were focal points in the design. The VA Section 508 Accessibility Team also tested the App to ensure it optimizes the accessibility features in current operating systems and fully complies with all Section 508 requirements. Because standard App interfaces and traditional educational approaches were insufficient for the diverse target audience, this paper discusses the unique human-computer interface design considerations made for users with physical and cognitive limitations. It also discusses how the resulting design can be reused for other Apps, particularly for conditions like COPD, heart disease, and diabetes. VAPUR will be deployed in August 2015.
Mobile App Design for Veterans with Physical and Cognitive Limitations
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