Table 1.

Design themes derived from patient and care provider interviews.

Design themes	Factors/design requirement
1. Usability of technology	Perception that technology will make self-care more challenging Incentive for technology use needed Willingness to use technology if kept simple
2. Communication	Use of direct communication (in person and virtual) with nurse highly desired Open sharing and access to patient information to improve communication
3. App customization	Management of medications on one device Addition of notifications at patient’s desired time/manner Customization of audio and visual format for each patient during setup
4. Complexity of self-care	Perception that daily management of HFa self-care is difficult Difficulty with diuretic adjustment Benefits of nursing support
5. Usefulness of HF-related information	Provision of information from physician and nurses difficult to understand Interest in information relevant to specific patients
6. Long-term use and costs	Concerns with potential dependence on the HFApp intervention and future costs Integration with current device for long-term use and reduce cost

^aHF: heart failure.