Objective:

To identify and reach consensus on the essential content for developing a mobile application focused on therapeutic education and monitoring of individuals with heart failure, using the Delphi method.

Approach:

• Study Design: A structured consensus study using the e-Delphi method, involving multiple rounds of online surveys to gather expert opinions.
• Process Coordination: Coordinated by a team of six professionals with expertise in chronic heart failure, who designed the protocol and oversaw the consensus process.
• Delphi Process Phases: Conducted in two rounds where 39 items were rated on a 9-point Likert scale, with items accepted based on mean scores.
• Questionnaire Development: Developed by a coordinating group and validated through a nominal group to ensure clarity and relevance.
• Expert Panel Selection: 24 experts selected through purposive snowball sampling, ensuring a diverse representation from various relevant fields.

Key Findings:

• The Delphi method facilitated consensus on essential app content for heart failure management, including functionalities for symptom recording and therapeutic education.

Interpretation:

Limitations:

• The study may not encompass all potential user perspectives due to the limited size of the expert panel, and findings are based on expert consensus, which may require further empirical validation.

Conclusion:

The study successfully identified key components for a mobile app aimed at improving heart failure management through patient-centered design.