Postable peak flow meters: Improving remote patient monitoring from the home

Abstract

As healthcare providers globally adapt/change their practices because of the ongoing global pandemic, a greater emphasis is being placed on remote/telemedicine diagnostic/monitoring models. To support such a model, especially for respiratory diseases—ie, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or interstitial lung disease (ILD)—it is essential that data are collected over a sustained time period. As such, the distribution of portable medical devices to patients’ homes poses a significant logistical challenge. We present the user-centred design approach undertaken by a multidisciplinary design team consisting of product designers, design engineers, electronics/programming experts, and healthcare professionals to develop a postable modular peak flow meter.