Designing, Developing, and Testing an App for Parents Being Discharged Early Postnatally

•We designed, developed, and testet an app for the iPad.•The app was viable, but the app requires refinements and wider testing.•The app met the new families’ needs for follow-up support.•There is a potential for ensuring postnatal security with the use of technology.

In Denmark and internationally, earlier discharge of postnatal patients presents a challenge to find innovative ways of providing follow-up support to new mothers who may be discharged early. The purpose of this participatory design study is to describe the process of the design, development, and testing of an app as a viable information technology solution. The app was tested with 10 new families. The test results suggest that the new families and the nurses found the app to be viable and the app met the new families' needs for follow-up support. However, the app required refinements and wider testing.