Optimization of the Care4Today Digital Health Platform to Enhance Self-Reporting of Medication Adherence and Health Experiences in Patients With Coronary or Peripheral Artery Disease: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Care4Today is a digital health platform developed by Johnson & Johnson comprising a patient mobile app (Care4Today Connect), a health care provider (HCP) portal, and an educational website. It aims to improve medication adherence; enable self-reporting of health experiences; provide patient education; enhance connection with HCPs; and facilitate data and analytics learning across disease areas, including cardiovascular disease.

Objective: This study aimed to gather patient feedback on Care4Today Connect, specifically the coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) module, and to cocreate and validate features with patients to optimize the app experience for those with CAD, PAD, or both.

Methods: We conducted 3 research engagements between November 2022 and May 2023. Participants were US-based adults recruited and consented through the sponsor's Patient Engagement Research Council program. Participants self-reported a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, and in some cases, specifically, CAD, PAD, or both. Part 1, internet survey, posed quantitative questions with Likert-scale answer options about existing app features. Part 2, virtual focus group, and part 3, virtual individual interviews, both used semistructured qualitative discussion to cocreate and validate new app enhancements. The quantitative data from part 1 was evaluated descriptively to categorize mobile health app use, confidence in the ability to use the app, and motivations for app use. The qualitative discussions from parts 2 and 3 were synthesized to understand participants' app needs and preferences to inform an optimal app experience.

Results: The response rate for part 1, internet survey, was 67% (37/55). Most participants felt at least somewhat confident using the app after seeing the newly added app tutorial (33/37, 89%), and at least somewhat confident in their ability to earn points for completing activities using app instructions (33/37, 89%). In part 2, virtual focus group (n=3), and part 3, virtual individual interviews (n=8), participants collectively preferred to enhance the app with (1) the ability to automatically add medication data for tracking and (2) the ability to receive relevant care team feedback on their self-reported health experiences. Participants would be willing to spend 10-15 minutes a day tracking 4-5 health experiences, especially those requested by their HCP.

Conclusions: Participants prefer apps that can reduce user burden and provide information relevant to them. Care4Today Connect can optimize the user experience for patients with CAD, PAD, or both with the automatic addition of medication data for tracking and in-app care team feedback on patient self-reported health experiences.