Workforce Perceptions of a Conceptual Hospital-at-Home Digital Twin: Qualitative Study
- 1National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Newcastle Patient Safety Research Collaboration, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom, +441912086000
- 2School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- 3School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland
Abstract
Background: Hospital-at-home (HaH) services are transformative for delivering acute care in a patient’s home, with support from a multidisciplinary team and remote monitoring technologies, and there is a growing demand for innovation and digital solutions. Digital twin (DT) technology offers the possibility of leveraging real-time data to personalize care, predict risk, and improve patient management. However, perceptions of the workforce regarding the application of HaH DTs remain underexplored, and addressing this is crucial for successful adoption and sustainability.
Objective: This qualitative study aimed to explore health and care professionals’ perceptions of the concept of a HaH DT model of care and its perceived impact.
Methods: A total of 26 semistructured interviews were conducted between June and December 2025. Participants were based in the United Kingdom and were recruited through purposive sampling via known contacts, professional networking, and social media. A short vignette on DTs was presented to participants at the start of the interview. An interview topic guide centered around acceptability and the domains of the Non-adoption, Abandonment, Scale-up, Spread, and Sustainability (NASSS) framework was used to explore complexity in implementation and potential management. Data analysis involved a hybrid approach drawing on reflexive thematic analysis.
Results: Seven overarching themes were identified, highlighting a mixture of perceived benefits, concerns, and recommendations. Participants noted value in personalized, holistic care enabled by real-time data-driven interventions and appropriate patient-clinician contact. However, concerns included trust in DTs, with participants highlighting that implementation requires adapting workforce roles, strong education and training, system-level infrastructure, and a supporting evidence base.
Conclusions: This work provides the foundations for stakeholders and developers to better understand the likely adoption of a HaH DT and the likely impact on individuals, organizations, and systems. Findings from this study highlight key recommendations, and further research and implementation efforts should prioritize stakeholder involvement to develop clear actionable plans.
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BibTeX
@article{yahya2026workforce,
title = {{Workforce Perceptions of a Conceptual Hospital-at-Home Digital Twin: Qualitative Study}},
author = {Faiza Yahya and Matthew Cooper and Lauren Lawson and Hamde Nazar},
journal = {JMIR Human Factors},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.2196/96645},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2196/96645},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Workforce Perceptions of a Conceptual Hospital-at-Home Digital Twin: Qualitative Study
AU - Faiza Yahya
AU - Matthew Cooper
AU - Lauren Lawson
AU - Hamde Nazar
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
JO - JMIR Human Factors
DO - 10.2196/96645
UR - https://doi.org/10.2196/96645
AB - Background: Hospital-at-home (HaH) services are transformative for delivering acute care in a patient’s home, with support from a multidisciplinary team and remote monitoring technologies, and there is a growing demand for innovation and digital solutions. Digital twin (DT) technology offers the possibility of leveraging real-time data to personalize care, predict risk, and improve patient management. However, perceptions of the workforce regarding the application of HaH DTs remain underexplored, and addressing this is crucial for successful adoption and sustainability. Objective: This qualitative study aimed to explore health and care professionals’ perceptions of the concept of a HaH DT model of care and its perceived impact. Methods: A total of 26 semistructured interviews were conducted between June and December 2025. Participants were based in the United Kingdom and were recruited through purposive sampling via known contacts, professional networking, and social media. A short vignette on DTs was presented to participants at the start of the interview. An interview topic guide centered around acceptability and the domains of the Non-adoption, Abandonment, Scale-up, Spread, and Sustainability (NASSS) framework was used to explore complexity in implementation and potential management. Data analysis involved a hybrid approach drawing on reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Seven overarching themes were identified, highlighting a mixture of perceived benefits, concerns, and recommendations. Participants noted value in personalized, holistic care enabled by real-time data-driven interventions and appropriate patient-clinician contact. However, concerns included trust in DTs, with participants highlighting that implementation requires adapting workforce roles, strong education and training, system-level infrastructure, and a supporting evidence base. Conclusions: This work provides the foundations for stakeholders and developers to better understand the likely adoption of a HaH DT and the likely impact on individuals, organizations, and systems. Findings from this study highlight key recommendations, and further research and implementation efforts should prioritize stakeholder involvement to develop clear actionable plans.
SN - 2292-9495
ER -