With the increased usage of IT accessibility and availability – through internet resources and / or smartphones, mobile-health (m-health) has the potential to play a crucial role in both overcoming the barriers of self-management and in enhancing patient-healthcare team interactions and communications.
M-health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “medical and public health practice supported by mobile devices, such as mobile phones, patient monitoring devices, personal digital assistants and other wireless devices” .
WHO (2011) mHealth: New Horizons For Health Through Mobile Technologies. WHO Switzerland, Geneva ISBN: 9789241564250
Although the use of m-health in patient management is still emerging, it can support patients’ self-care by enabling remote patient monitoring and delivery of personalised clinical advice through a wide range of functions (e.g. text messaging, web browsing, email, and videos).
Kitsiou et al (2017) Effectiveness of mHealth interventions for patients with diabetes: an overview of systematic reviews PLoS ONE
It may also increase patient engagement, treatment compliance, personalised adjustment of treatment plans and regimens and provide a platform for earlier identification of need for intervention and/or crisis intervention.
‘My NETs’ is a new disease-specific App that can be utilised by anyone affected by Neuroendocrine Cancer. It can be used for day to day information gathering such as symptom tracking, managing and storing health details, (such as blood and other test results, diet and medications, appointments, etc.) and has a functionality that enables users to send data directly to their care team, through a dedicated HCP portal. It is also supported by an accessible library of resources that include evidence-based information – in written, video and audio formats.
The App has been developed by Ampersand Health, with the support and input of the Neuroendocrine Cancer community -patients, supporters and HCP’s.
The design and development was co-funded by NCUK & UKINETs.
The App has 2 key functions:
- firstly as a self management tool for the Neuroendocrine Cancer community
- secondly as a research* tool.
The current study* is to evaluate the App’s utilisation as a means of reporting and recording patient reported outcomes (PROs) – ‘A study to assess use of mobile device technology to collect patient reported symptoms during medical and surgical therapy for neuroendocrine tumours’ – it has a number of UK centres already signed up to participate. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04324502 *
Feedback, regarding utilisation as a self-management record and tool, from those using the App is also encouraged and welcomed.
To take part in the trial – please ask your NET team.
The App is available to download : Google Play
To find out more about the developers – Ampersand Health – https://ampersandhealth.co.uk/
Please direct all enquiries to either the study lead* or the developer Ampersand
https://twitter.com/myamphealth
https://www.linkedin.com/company/amp1/
https://www.instagram.com/ampersand_health/
FIND OUT MORE HERE