ESPE Abstracts

Background: Long-term treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) is often challenging for children and adolescents, their caregivers and healthcare professionals (HCPs), as treatment requires daily injections over several years. Connected digital health devices facilitate this by automating the injection process to improve comfort, reduce anxiety and collect GH treatment data so that accurate adherence information is available to HCPs in real-time. For successful adoption of such digital health devices, HCP perspectives should be considered.

Aim: To evaluate the next generation easypod® (EP) device (EP3) for the delivery of r-hGH treatment from the HCP perspective, with a focus on usability, data-enabled insights, usefulness and improvement over the previous EP2 device.

Methods: We performed a mixed-methods participatory study to assess the EP3 prototype. A participatory workshop (comprising five phases) was conducted in London, UK. Participants included HCPs experienced in the management of GH treatment in paediatric patients, either with or without prior experience of using EP. Participants discussed predefined questions and specific case studies as part of group activities. They also completed a 25-item, 5-scale Likert questionnaire to assess the impact EP3 may have on usability and usefulness for HCPs and patients.

Results: Nine HCPs (five paediatric endocrinologists and four nurses) participated in the workshop. The larger and touchscreen interface on the EP3 device was considered a substantial improvement by participants. They stated that the touchscreen aspect improves the usability of the device, with the larger screen enabling better visualisation and clearer instructions for easier and safer administration of r-hGH. Participants perceived that the automatic transmission of adherence data was the most significant improvement of the EP3 device; specifically, the availability of real-time adherence data enabled improved treatment monitoring and clinical decision making, with the potential to increase clinician engagement with the device. However, participants acknowledged that hospitals would require the necessary set up to receive the data. Participants likened EP3 to a smartphone, highlighting that its utility within a wider digital health ecosystem will enhance complementary approaches to r-hGH treatment. The personalisable visual elements on EP3 were commended, with participants advising that reminders and motivational features be integrated into the EP ecosystem to reinforce patient adherence.

Conclusion: HCPs perceived the EP3 device to be more intuitive, comfortable, user-friendly, simpler, and easier to use than EP2. Their feedback suggests that this next generation device will enhance clinical decision making and encourage greater personalised care for children and adolescents receiving r-hGH treatment.