Table 2 Summary of online virtual interview responses assessing patient overall impressions of PatientNav usability. Representative responses are displayed as positive, neutral, or negative input

1. Was the content in the app helpful or informative?

"Absolutely yes

The video on resection was very interesting and helpful. I found it very helpful."

"Half of it was. I know since I wasn’t a cancer patient but that this was geared for. Having milestones about recovery."

"It was not very informative. It was fine prior to surgery but maybe not after surgery."

2. What task/article helped you the most and why?

"Extremely helpful. I made my husband watch the videos with me so he would understand. It gave him confidence knowing what was going to happen going into the surgery."

"A couple didn’t make sense. Pain and fatigue would make more sense as a daily check-in."

"The question that was really helpful was about my feeling. It helped me understand how I feel every day."

3. Did you find the videos helpful?

"The videos were extremely informative. I looked again the other day as refresher course. Videos were strong."

"Not all were helpful. The videos should put a face with the doctor. Humanize the doctor while explaining what they do. Sometimes they use terms above my schooling level."

4. Did it help you manage all of the different tasks you had to do (for example, tracking walks, blood pressure, weight, temperature, blood sugar and/or pain?

"It helps me be more diligent rather than being lazy. I get my email reminder which makes tracking a lot easier."

"It just was something that I log in. To me, I intend on doing these activities so it’s not a reminder to do, just a reminder to log in and enter the data."

5. Helpful to prepare or recover from surgery?

"Yes, it was helpful. Walking. Blood pressure. My BP was low when I left the hospital. I was entering BP data even before I got home from hospital."

"For myself, it didn’t do a lot. For my doctor she is worried about infection, so yes for her sake there was a need."

"It did not help me prepare for my surgery. I have been monitoring and staying healthy. I don’t write down the data."

6. Did it help you communicate with care team?

“It did help me communicate with healthcare team. One time, I put my blood sugar (109) in the temperature section. I got a call the next day because they thought I had a fever.”

"If my doctor is looking at that info, then it helps. For me, I know she is busy I don’t feel like calling every day or sending text messages. If it helps her check on me when she has time, I good with that."

"I can’t say that it did help me. But I was enlightened. I shared it with my family."

"Yes. We are always talking. Always sharing information. It’s more convenient for me. It’s not always easy to find someone to talk to when I call."

7. Did it help you with feeling with less anxious or stress level?

"Yes. I know the recovery process and help me understand what to expect. Anxiety levels go down with understanding."

"Somewhat. The best thing for me is being organized. The first day I was writing everything down, after second day I would open the app and punch in my numbers."

"I don’t stress. It’s against my religion. It might help other people. I’m happy every day."

8. Did the app help you understand when to call the doctor? For example, when problems arose?

"It did not help me know when to call the doctor. I just know that." [points to own head]

9. Was the app helpful in managing your drains and wounds including assessing problems?

"I live 1.5 h away. How else can they tell what’s going on? Photos are helpful. I’m 67 years I had a support team wife and daughter. They got the data into the computer for me. I don’t have to be savvy."

"It was not. My incisions were all glued – skin glue. Why doesn’t everyone get skin glue all the time."

10. How likely are you to recommend the app?

"Anything that centralizes communication with the doctor is helpful. If it makes it easier for the doctor to help you, I am all for it."

"In current state, I recommend the informative video describing the surgical procedure mostly."

11. What did you like about this app?

"The app probably saved my life. My surgeon put me back into the hospital. She saw the pictures of my drain I was uploading. She called immediately and told me to come to the hospital."

"The ease of use. It's not cumbersome. It's one stop, I hit the button and there it is. It's very easy to access."

12. If you could change anything about the app, what would you change?

"Add Hack ideas. For example, for chemotherapy patient, some maple syrup takes the metal taste out of food."

"Add a way to send a message via the data link. I would like more choices regarding exercise/physical activity."

"I would like option of applicable or not applicable. I want to hit button that says, ‘not applicable’. If not applicable, I want to move on."

"More check-in ability. More feedback loops."

"Formulate it in a customized to you, that would be better."

"Booking appointments through the app."