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Background: For digital tools to have high usability and fit service users’ health needs and socio-environmental context, it is important to explore usability with end-users and identify facilitators and barriers to uptake. Objective: To conduct user testing of the smartphone health application, PeerTECH, in a Norwegian community mental health setting. Methods: Semistructured interviews and usability testing of the PeerTECH app using the Think-Aloud approach and task analysis among 11 people (three individuals with a serious mental illness, two peer support workers, and six mental health professionals). Results: Study participants perceived PeerTECH as a relevant tool to support self-management of their mental and physical health conditions, and they provided valuable feedback on existing features as well as suggestions for adaptions to the Norwegian context. The task analysis revealed that PeerTECH is easy to manage for service users and peer support workers. Conclusions: Adapting the PeerTECH smartphone app to the Norwegian context may be a viable and useful tool to support individuals with serious mental illness.

Purpose Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) might require coordinated health services to meet their healthcare needs. The overall aim of this study was to describe the perspectives of professionals (registered nurses, medical doctors, social educators, and social workers) on care coordination and measures to ensure proper and coordinated follow-up of the healthcare needs of individuals with SMI. More specifically, we investigated which measures are taken by employees in municipal health and care services to prevent the deterioration of health conditions and which measures are taken in cases where deterioration occurs despite preventive efforts. Method The study comprised individual qualitative interviews with professionals employed in municipal health and care services in two Norwegian municipalities. The interview material was analyzed using systematic text condensation. Results Three categories and seven subcategories were created in the data analysis: 1) Maintain a stable and meaningful home life, including ensuring proper housing and access to services and assistance in receiving healthcare ; 2) Measures to prevent deterioration of the health condition, including close monitoring of symptoms , emergency psychiatric care plans and emergency room calls and visits ; and 3) Inpatient care to stabilize acute and severe symptoms, including municipal inpatient care , returning home after inpatient care and a need for shared responsibility for treatment and care . Conclusion Professionals employed in municipal health and care services coordinate health services to ensure proper and coordinated follow-up of the healthcare needs of individuals with SMI by ensuring housing services and access to the required healthcare. Measures taken when deterioration occurs include monitoring symptoms, use of emergency psychiatric care plans, emergency room contacts, or inpatient care.