FesiaWalk is an electro stimulator device dedicated to people suffering from neurological problems because of a disease or an accident. It is used in rehabilitation centre for people suffering from “falling foot”. It delivers electrical impulses to the nerves of the shin and fibular to induce a dorsal or plantar flexion of the ankle in the corresponding phases of walking. This is a tool coupled with parameterization software which allows to record the patient profile.
Fesia is a Basque Spanish company, born of research domain and works on a new approach about F.E.S. (Functional Electrical Stimulation)
Within the framework of the project ICT4SILVER, the idea is to answer questions which worry the company, as:
– Measure the acceptability of the use of this product by health care professionals in their daily therapeutic practice
– Understanding changes in attitudes, behaviours and professional strategies in the use of this technology
– Collect and observe the construction of new professional knowledge on a rehabilitation physical medicine team.
In France, the pilot was done in Hospital (C.H.U. de LIMOGES) with a rehabilitation medicine team (nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, orderly, doctor)
WHEN AND HOW?
As FesiaWalk is not a medical device, we couldn’t organize the protocol in the hospital the same as the others experimentations, so a Focus group was planned on the 20 of June with all the team in the morning. There were 3 phases:
– First of all, we have a collective discussion with the participants about different topics as: physical rehabilitation in France, rehabilitation at home, the technology in their professional practice and the place of therapeutic education in their physical rehabilitation medicine service
– In a second time, the CEO (chief executive officer) of Fesia, Haritz, who was there, presented FesiaWalk to the rehabilitation team. Each participant could test FesiaWalk accompanied by Haritz during around 45’.
Differents themes were discussed: functionalities, ergonomics, software, use of this type of device in their professional practice, potential improvements.
– At the end, we did some individual interviews with each of them to have a better knowledge of them.
We are working today on the analysis of all the data collected to produce a report.
