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Virtual Knee School – develop evidence-based digital tools collaboratively with patients and professionals

During my PhD research, I have been working collaboratively with patients and professionals to develop a ‘Virtual Knee School’ website. The website provides information and an exercise plan for patients waiting to have a total knee replacement. It aims to help patients prepare for before, during and after their operation.

Developing the Virtual Knee School involved:

  • Reviewing previous research investigating pre-operative care, such as education and exercise plans, for people waiting for knee replacement.
  • Developing an agreed list of recommendations on pre-operative care for people waiting for knee replacement using an approach known as a Delphi Consensus Technique. This involved a group of patients and professionals completing three online questionnaires
  • Holding group discussions with patients to explore what might encourage patients to use the Virtual Knee School or prevent them from using it.
  • Using theory (ideas about what affects people’s behaviour) to guide the development of the Virtual Knee School.
  • Developing an early version of the Virtual Knee School based on the findings of the previous steps and input from project team members, including patient and public representatives.
  • Carrying out interviews with patients as they used the early version of the Virtual Knee School and using their feedback to gradually improve it.

This process has shown how vital it is to make sure that patients’ views are central throughout the development of digital tools. For example, patients’ views helped to make sure the Virtual Knee School is easy to use and covers topics that are important to patients. Patients’ views have also been key to making the website as accessible and inclusive as possible.

The Virtual Knee School website is now developed and ready for evaluating. We have published the pre-operative care recommendations (links below) and will be sharing our other research findings in the future.

Full publication of the study used to develop the pre-operative care recommendations:

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-021-04160-5

Summary of the final recommendations (Additional File 8 from the main publication):

https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1186%2Fs12891-021-04160-5/MediaObjects/12891_2021_4160_MOESM8_ESM.pdf


Thorough and collaborative development of digital tools requires substantial time and resources but I believe it is essential to make sure that the tools meet patients’ needs in an accessible and inclusive way. I would like to thank all the people and organisations who have contributed to and supported my research including the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) for funding it, the University of Leeds for hosting it, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust for being my partner organisation and the web development and design company Frank for creating/hosting the Virtual Knee School.

edited on Mar 24, 2022 by Beverley Matthews
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Gabrielle Law Mar 3, 2022

Hi Anna, thanks for sharing you idea on the platform! Its great to read the patients were central to the design of this tool!

Reply 0

Gabrielle Law Mar 3, 2022

Hi Anna, thanks for sharing you idea on the platform! Its great to read the patients were central to the design of this tool!

Reply 0

Gabrielle Law Mar 3, 2022

Hi Anna, thanks for sharing you idea on the platform! Its great to read the patients were central to the design of this tool!

Reply 0