Supporting Healthcare Workflows with Smart Glasses: Insights from a Participatory Design Study on Post-Stroke Patient Positioning

Abstract

The shortage of healthcare practitioners in developed countries, combined with insufficient digital infrastructures and limited digital teaching opportunities in healthcare training, affects both patient care quality and the well-being of healthcare workers. To address this, innovative technologies have emerged to support professionals in learning complex interventions while alleviating workload pressures. This study focuses on smart glasses as a digital assistive learning tool in healthcare training. We conducted a study with 52 healthcare practitioners who used smart glasses to assist in patient positioning by following a predefined workflow based on the Bobath Concept. Through observations, interviews, and usability testing, we evaluated the system’s impact on learning experiences, workflow integration, and workload. Our findings suggest that smart glasses enhance learning and workflow integration, with variations in workload perception based on experience levels. However, several challenges remain, including issues with voice recognition, image quality, and maintaining focus on the patient. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse by providing recommendations for optimizing smart glasses in healthcare education and practice, emphasizing their role in bridging training gaps, supporting healthcare workflows, and enhancing the point of care experience.