Questions to shape future technology to help HF patients

Hi Everyone,

First, a short introduction, I am an electrical engineering student at MIT in Boston who is working a project to develop technologies to help HF patients better manage their health after diagnosis. On this project we have other engineers and cardiologists working as a team. The technology involves a continuous wearable device that monitors your heart’s health.

The technology is in its developmental stage, and I feel there is no better way to shape the technology than to interact with people living with HF, and to hear your thoughts about the questions I’m having. I’ve included them below, and it would be GREATLY appreciated if you can take some time out of your busy schedule to answer ANY of them.

1. Besides symptoms, what is the #1 factor that degrades your quality of life? This could be tangible or psychological.
2. How many times have you been readmitted to the hospital due to HF?
2.a. Why were you readmitted?
2.b. Was the readmission preventable? If so, how could it have been prevented?
3. How do you currently monitor your own health between doctor’s visits? Is it through devices or by feeling?
4. Is there any guesswork or uncertainty that you wish could be taken out of your treatments?
5. If you can continuously monitor your heart’s health through a relatively unobtrusive wearable device, would you wear it every day? Or only when you are feeling the symptoms?
6. If there is one thing you can change about the current way HF is managed by the healthcare system, what would it be? This could involve physicians, nurses, hospitals, or insurance companies.
7. Any additional comments are welcomed!

With your help, we hope this technology will someday help HF patients live healthier lives. Once again, thank you very much for your time and inputs. I will note down every single response and go over them with my team.

Best regards,

David