Understanding Australian healthcare provider attitudes towards smart inhalers for paediatric asthma management: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of Australian healthcare providers (HCPs) of the usefulness of smart inhalers for children with asthma and considerations for their effective integration into routine care.

DESIGN

Qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews. A hybrid thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data.

SETTING

Healthcare services in Australia including general practice, hospitals and Local Health Districts.

PARTICIPANTS

Eight general practitioners, six paediatric specialists and nine respiratory nurses were recruited using a unique purposive sampling strategy for each HCP group.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Perceptions of the facilitators and challenges to the adoption of smart inhalers for childhood asthma management.

RESULTS

Most HCPs had not previously used smart inhalers. Perceived benefits of smart inhalers included access to objective medication use data to inform asthma treatment decisions and enable opportunities to discuss asthma management with parents and carers. Key facilitators for implementation included evidence of clinical effectiveness, financial incentives (both in terms of subsidised smart inhaler costs for users and reimbursement for HCPs) and integration of smart inhaler data into existing medical record systems. The primary barrier to implementation identified was related to workflow issues, including available resourcing, support and time.

CONCLUSIONS

HCPs expressed generally positive views about the potential of smart inhalers to improve asthma management among children. However, they also identified several practical, logistical and clinical barriers that must be addressed prior to widespread implementation of smart inhalers. Targeted strategies that address these barriers will be essential for successful implementation into routine care.