How can using an iPad and an app assist in heart failure self-care and therefore wellbeing?

This paper describes the development and trialling of Fluid Watchers Pacific Rim: an iPad application designed to provide monitoring and self-care for Indigenous Australians with heart failure. The project is based on evidence that IT-supported education can be successful in decreasing re-hospitalisation and improving self-management skills. This project is the first demonstration that an iPad application can be developed to provide health care support for Indigenous Australian patients.In this paper, the authors describe an Action Research methodology, which involved health experts, an IT team and Indigenous heart failure patients in three cycles of development. They also describe the steps they took to ensure community participation and ownership of the project. The Fluid Watchers Pacific Rim trial provides positive initial findings which suggest that Indigenous heart failure patients enjoy using the application and improve their knowledge and self-care. The authors are currently developing a Randomised Control Trial to fully evaluate the application.