Development and validation of a novel web application for patient-reported outcome measures monitoring.

Abstract

e23173 Background: Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROM) and its role in managing cancer treatment associated symptoms can not only improve the quality of life but also often prevent complication related mortality. PROM can be defined as a self-reported status of a patient's health condition without physician interpretation. One key limitation of using an app based PROM monitoring is a digital divide, (unequal distribution and knowledge regarding modern information and communication technology). Integrating PROM with technology allows for an efficient and effective method to communicate disease management. Methods: We developed a web application called Meeval consisting of two tools - PROM monitoring and medication reconciliation. Patients are able to track the severity of their symptoms on a ten point likert scale and add the medication details to their profile. We conducted a pilot study of patients with cancer who were handed a pamphlet, invited to download the app and assess its usability. We aimed to find the proportion of patients who would download and use the app following a simple introduction by the doctor using a pamphlet. We postulated that greater than fifty percent of downloads would happen, thereby negating a possible digital divide when it comes to app based PROM monitoring. Results: We recruited 95 patients with cancer. It was determined that 60% of the study population had downloaded the app without much prompt. Of this population of users, it was found that 36.8% downloaded after a seven day follow up call and 63.2% required no follow up call for app installation. When looking at app usage it was found that 53.1% of patients are tracking symptoms, 15.6% are tracking medications and 31.3% are tracking both symptoms and medication. Conclusions: The Meeval application allows for a ‘Measure, Track and Respond’ model to be implemented in a clinical setting and further enforce patient-centric healthcare. Furthermore, this app allows for seamless interaction between the patient and the physician. Patients who log their symptoms daily allow for the physician to have a more comprehensive understanding of the disease profile and any adverse effects associated with the treatment plan. Patient Reported Outcome Measures can significantly improve the quality of life and prevent any medical oversight. Through PROM tools, early detection and intervention is possible. The goal of the novel Meeval application is to improve both patient and physician experience when it comes to a chronic diagnosis and disease management. We found that the Meeval application will bridge the digital divide and provide a platform for wider use in the field of oncology.