Authors
A Sabala, M Davins, M Cano, G Bonet, A Mariscal, P Valero
Published in
Journal of healthcare quality research. Volume 42. Issue 1. Pages 101243. Sep 14, 2026. Epub Sep 14, 2026.
Abstract
Digital transformation in healthcare can improve care but also widen inequalities linked to the digital divide. An AI-based voice assistant was developed for the follow-up of hospitalization at home (HaH) patients via telephone calls. The aim was to evaluate its usability and acceptance among professionals and patients, and to identify prototype improvements.
Intervention conducted between December 2025 and March 2026 at a public hospital, with 25 healthcare professionals and 19 HaH patients. The evaluation had two phases: 1) iterative assessment with professionals through interaction with the assistant and focus groups; and 2) a pilot in which patients received daily calls over five days to complete a clinical questionnaire. Usability was assessed with the System Usability Scale (SUS) and user experience through semi-structured interviews.
The mean SUS score was 63.6±19.8 among HaH professionals and 79.2±15.9 among patients. Professionals valued the assistant's potential to anticipate clinical incidents and improve care continuity, although they expressed concerns about workflow integration. Patients highlighted its ease of use and convenience. The iterative process introduced improvements to the prototype.
An AI-based voice assistant may be a usable and feasible solution for remote monitoring of patients vulnerable to the digital divide and help reduce barriers, provided that its design is adapted to the clinical context and to the needs of patients and professionals.
PMID:
42736230
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Sep 2026.
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