Background
PrepWith is a web-based digital prehabilitation platform designed to support patients in preparing for upcoming medical procedures. Prehabilitation aims to improve physical, behavioral, and psychological readiness before surgery or treatment, thereby reducing complications and supporting recovery.
Current preparation processes are often paper-based, fragmented, and difficult to access—especially for patients already under stress. PrepWith addresses this gap by providing a structured, digital, and patient-centered solution that enables self-monitoring, guidance, and motivation while reducing organizational burden for healthcare professionals.
Overview
This project presents the development and evaluation of the PrepWith prototype (minimum viable product, MVP). The platform was designed with a strong focus on usability, accessibility, and patient empowerment, accounting for diverse user needs and levels of digital literacy.
All testing and evaluation were conducted using the interactive PrepWith prototype, enabling participants to explore core features in realistic usage scenarios. A mixed-methods evaluation—combining user testing with patients and healthcare professionals as well as heuristic and accessibility assessments—showed high acceptance, good usability, and clear relevance, particularly from the patient perspective.
Key Features
- Structured Prehabilitation Tracking
Logging and monitoring of key preparation indicators such as activity, hydration, and lifestyle behaviors. - Gamified Motivation & Feedback
Progress indicators, streaks, and badges encourage engagement and consistency. - Clear Visualizations
Simple dashboards translate health data into easy-to-understand insights. - Accessibility-Focused Design
Mobile-friendly, intuitive design suitable for users with varying digital skills. - Support for Clinical Workflows
Improved patient preparedness with potential to reduce repetitive explanations.
Conclusion
PrepWith demonstrates how a user-centered digital prototype can transform prehabilitation into a more accessible, engaging, and empowering experience. By combining usability, accessibility, and motivational design, the PrepWith MVP supports patients in actively preparing for medical procedures while offering tangible benefits for healthcare professionals.
The evaluation confirms PrepWith’s potential as a scalable digital health solution and provides evidence-based guidance for its continued development and implementation.
Coach:
FH-Prof. Anita Kidritsch, MSc & Elise Mandl, MSc
Project Team:
Laurence Douda dh241818
Raphaela Maschik dh241827
Benjamin Schweinzer dh241816
Andreea Bahnareanu dh241828
A project at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences
Master Program Digitale Healthcare
