Exploring the preference of devices that can measure movement among people who have been hospitalised: A discrete choice experiment.

Importance: Monitoring bodily movement in people admitted to hospital is important for assessing clinical status and preventing complications associated with immobility. Movement sensor systems offer a mechanism to support human assessment by enabling continuous monitoring. Adoption will depend on consumer values and preferences. Objective: To explore consumer preferences for a hospital-based movement sensor system using a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Design Setting and Participants: A DCE survey evaluating seven attributes (time and complexity to set up, accuracy, sensor type, attachment, reusability and number) was completed by 1,040 health consumers in Perth, Western Australia. Results: Respondents prefer devices that are accurate (only inaccurate 1 in 100 cases versus 1 in 5 cases β = 0.711, p < 0.001) and can be set up quickly (2min versus 15min, β = 0.253, p < 0.001) and independently (versus with support of a professional β = 0.186, p < 0.001). Camera presence in a movement sensor system was less concerning to participants than anticipated. Participants had a small preference for systems without a camera (versus with a camera β = 0.153, p < 0.001) and when a camera was included, had no preference for how footage was displayed to a healthcare professional (identifiable versus non-identifiable footage β = 0.025, p = 0.374). Conclusion and Relevance: Consumers prioritised accuracy and independence and appear indifferent towards the inclusion of a camera in a movement monitoring system. These findings support a hybrid approach integrating wearable sensors with cameras to achieve high precision without compromising acceptance.