Reimagining Recovery: A Patient-Centred In-Hospital Intervention to Motivate Early Mobilisation Post-Surgery

A lack of physical activity post-surgery is widely acknowledged as both a significant barrier to successful recovery and contributor to post-operative complications. In Denmark, the recent introduction of single-patient hospital rooms — intended to improve care — has unintentionally reduced patients’ early mobilisation, potentially due to a lack of tacit social and other motivations. While prior HCI research has explored design for motivation, rehabilitation, and physical activity, limited attention has been granted to understanding the factors and practices that influence these behaviours in this specific clinical context. This paper presents a mixed-methods, user-centered design research process leading to the development of a novel gamified, digital solution to motivate patients to engage in physical activity following gastroenterology surgery. Through this work, we offer initial evidence for the feasibility of this system based on a preliminary evaluation in-clinic (n = 16), and offer further implications for the design of patient-centred digital rehabilitation therapy supports.