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D'Amore S, Mckie M, Fahey A, Bleloch D, Grillo G, Hughes M, Ramaswami U. Fabry App: the value of a portable technology in recording day-to-day patient monitored information in patients with Fabry disease. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2024; 19:13. [PMID: 38212814 PMCID: PMC11057153 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02999-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fabry disease is a rare inherited disorder resulting from deficient α-galactosidase A enzyme activity. Common disease manifestations are sweating abnormalities, neuropathic pain, gastrointestinal symptoms and fatigue. Challenges are faced by health care professionals in evaluating symptom burden in the current clinical setting, and the demand for alternative methods for monitoring disease-specific symptoms has seen an acceleration in recent years. Smartphone technologies offer the potential for continuity of care and surveillance. As a part of a quality improvement project, a disease specific app was developed in collaboration with a software company (Health Touch Ltd) and made available for patient use in May 2018. The Fabry mobile app records five categories: pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, sweating, activity levels, medications. Fabry disease patients with gastrointestinal and pain symptoms attending the Lysosomal Storage Disorders Unit of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust were reviewed to assess eligibility and invited to download the app for recording their symptoms (activity, sweating, pain and gastrointestinal) and medications. Patient-generated data were transmitted to a secure website for clinicians to review. RESULTS One-hundred and thirty-nine symptomatic Fabry disease patients who had a smartphone (iPhone or android) were invited to download the app. Sixty-seven patients (26 males and 41 females; median age, 49 years [range, 20-81]) downloaded and tracked the Fabry App at least once. The median frequency of use per patient was 6 (range, 1-629). Pain in the hands and abdominal pain were significantly higher (p = 0.009 and p = 0.007, respectively) in patients with classic phenotype compared with patients with non-classic phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a smartphone app to facilitate the remote assessment and monitoring of Fabry disease symptom burden on a daily/weekly basis, as an alternative to the current standard of care that requires patients to recall their symptoms during 6 to 12 monthly annual clinic visits. Patients who were more likely to use the app had greater disease burden. This innovation has the potential to assess disease progression, early therapeutic intervention, thereby decreasing the burden of morbidity and mortality among Fabry patients, and to record long-term effects of Fabry-specific therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona D'Amore
- Lysosomal Storage Disorders Unit, Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG, UK
- Chiesi Farmaceutici S.P.A., Via Paradigna 131/A, 43122, Parma, Italy
| | - Mark Mckie
- Lysosomal Storage Disorders Unit, Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG, UK
| | - Andrew Fahey
- HealthTouch Ltd, Little Halt, Bull Lane, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 6NX, UK
| | - David Bleloch
- Lysosomal Storage Disorders Unit, Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG, UK
| | - Giuseppina Grillo
- Lysosomal Storage Disorders Unit, Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG, UK
| | - Michael Hughes
- HealthTouch Ltd, Little Halt, Bull Lane, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 6NX, UK
| | - Uma Ramaswami
- Lysosomal Storage Disorders Unit, Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG, UK.
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Oakley-Girvan I, Yunis R, Fonda SJ, Longmire M, Veuthey TL, Shieh J, Aghaee S, Kubo A, Davis SW, Liu R, Neeman E. Correlation Between Remote Symptom Reporting by Caregivers and Adverse Clinical Outcomes: Mixed Methods Study. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e49100. [PMID: 37988151 PMCID: PMC10698661 DOI: 10.2196/49100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Timely collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) decreases emergency department visits and hospitalizations and increases survival. However, little is known about the outcome predictivity of unpaid informal caregivers' reporting using similar clinical outcome assessments. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to assess whether caregivers and adults with cancer adhered to a planned schedule for electronically collecting patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and if PROs were associated with future clinical events. METHODS We developed 2 iPhone apps to collect PROs, one for patients with cancer and another for caregivers. We enrolled 52 patient-caregiver dyads from Kaiser Permanente Northern California in a nonrandomized study. Participants used the apps independently for 4 weeks. Specific clinical events were obtained from the patients' electronic health records up to 6 months following the study. We used logistic and quasi-Poisson regression analyses to test associations between PROs and clinical events. RESULTS Participants completed 97% (251/260) of the planned Patient-Reported Outcomes Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) surveys and 98% (254/260) of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys. PRO-CTCAE surveys completed by caregivers were associated with patients' hospitalizations or emergency department visits, grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events, dose reductions (P<.05), and hospice referrals (P=.03). PROMIS surveys completed by caregivers were associated with hospice referrals (P=.02). PRO-CTCAE surveys completed by patients were not associated with any clinical events, but their baseline PROMIS surveys were associated with mortality (P=.03), while their antecedent or final PROMIS surveys were associated with all clinical events examined except for total days of treatment breaks. CONCLUSIONS In this study, caregivers and patients completed PROs using smartphone apps as requested. The association of caregiver PRO-CTCAE surveys with patient clinical events suggests that this is a feasible approach to reducing patient burden in clinical trial data collection and may help provide early information about increasing symptom severity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reem Yunis
- Medable Inc, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | | | | | - Tess L Veuthey
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jennifer Shieh
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Sara Aghaee
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States
| | - Ai Kubo
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States
| | | | - Raymond Liu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States
- Department of Hematology Oncology, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Elad Neeman
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Rafael, CA, United States
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Oakley-Girvan I, Yunis R, Fonda SJ, Neeman E, Liu R, Aghaee S, Ramsey ME, Kubo A, Davis SW. A novel smartphone application for the informal caregivers of cancer patients: Usability study. PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH 2023; 2:e0000173. [PMID: 36867639 PMCID: PMC9983832 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Informal caregivers are a critical source of support for cancer patients. However, their perspectives are not routinely collected, despite health impacts related to the burden of caregiving. We created the TOGETHERCare smartphone application (app) to collect observer-reported outcomes regarding the cancer patient's health and caregiver's perceptions of their own mental and physical health, and to provide tips and resources for self-care and patient care. We enrolled 54 caregivers between October 2020 and March 2021 from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), an integrated healthcare system. Fifty caregivers used the app for approximately 28 days. Usability and acceptability were assessed using questions from the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), the System Usability Scale (SUS), the Net Promoter Score (NPS), and semi-structured interviews. The caregivers' mean age was 54.4 years, 38% were female and 36% were non-White. The SUS total mean score was 83.4 (SD = 14.2), for a percentile rank of 90-95 ("excellent"). Median MARS responses to the functionality questions were also high. The NPS score of 30 at the end of the study indicated that most caregivers would recommend the app. Themes from semi-structured interviews were consistent across the study period and indicated that the app was easy to use and helpful. Caregivers indicated a need for feedback from the app, suggested some changes to the wording of questions, the app's visuals, and timing of notifications. This study demonstrated that caregivers are willing to complete frequent surveys about themselves and their patients. The app is unique because it provides a remote method to collect caregivers' observations about the patient that may be useful for clinical care. To our knowledge, TOGETHERCare is the first mobile app developed specifically to capture adult cancer patient symptoms from the informal caregiver's perspective. Future research will examine whether use of this app can help improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reem Yunis
- Medable Inc., Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | | | - Elad Neeman
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Raymond Liu
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Sara Aghaee
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Maya E. Ramsey
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Ai Kubo
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Sharon W. Davis
- Medable Inc., Palo Alto, California, United States of America
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Vercell A, Gasteiger N, Yorke J, Dowding D. Patient-facing cancer mobile apps that enable patient reported outcome data to be collected: A systematic review of content, functionality, quality, and ability to integrate with electronic health records. Int J Med Inform 2023; 170:104931. [PMID: 36462398 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Enabling cancer patients to self-manage symptoms through mobile applications can result in more informed, autonomous patients who are partners in their care, consequently reducing the burden on health services. Electronic patient reported outcomes completed before a clinical review can increase the frequency and quality of holistic assessments, while integration into electronic health records can maximise clinical utility. The ability of apps to integrate with electronic health records is key to providing a real-time interface between patient reports and healthcare response. This review identifies patient-facing cancer apps which can record patient reported outcomes, and explores their purpose, functionality, quality, and ability to integrate with electronic health records. METHODS A systematic app review and content synthesis was conducted on patient-facing cancer apps available in the United Kingdom. Where applicable, the review aligned with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-Analysis. Two validated scales assessed functionality and quality: The IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics functionality score and the Mobile App Rating Scale. Flesch-Kincaid metrics explored readability. RESULTS Apple App and Google Play stores identified 405 apps, of which 12 met the eligibility criteria. All were free to download, 1 (8%) had in-app purchases/subscriptions. Nine (75%) were affiliated with a professional health body/charity. Six (50%) analysed inputted data and provided medical advice based on answers. The average Flesch Reading Ease score was 42.7 out of 100. The apps had an average of 7.3 functions each and a mean MARS score of 4/5. None integrated with electronic health records. CONCLUSION While many cancer apps exist, few enable patient reported outcomes to be recorded and shared with clinicians in real-time. Further research is warranted to explore the feasibility of integrating with electronic health records, as this function can improve patient experience and outcomes, and increase efficiency of hospital resources through more proactive care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Vercell
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, United Kingdom; Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
| | - Norina Gasteiger
- Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Division of Informatics, Imaging & Data Sciences, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Janelle Yorke
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, United Kingdom; Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Dawn Dowding
- Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Oakley-Girvan I, Yunis R, Fonda SJ, Neeman E, Liu R, Aghaee S, Ramsey ME, Kubo A, Davis SW. Usability evaluation of mobile phone technologies for capturing cancer patient-reported outcomes and physical functions. Digit Health 2023; 9:20552076231186515. [PMID: 37456127 PMCID: PMC10338665 DOI: 10.1177/20552076231186515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background By eliminating the requirement for participants to make frequent visits to research sites, mobile phone applications ("apps") may help to decentralize clinical trials. Apps may also be an effective mechanism for capturing patient-reported outcomes and other endpoints, helping to optimize patient care during and outside of clinical trials. Objectives We report on the usability of Digital BioMarkers for Clinical Impact (DigiBioMarC™ (DBM)), a novel smartphone-based app used by cancer patients in conjunction with a wearable device (Apple Watch®). DBM is designed to collect patient-reported outcomes and record physical functions. Methods In a fully decentralized "bring-your-own-device" smartphone study, we enrolled 54 cancer patient and caregiver dyads from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) from October 2020 through March 2021. Patients used the app for at least 28 days, completed weekly questionnaires about their symptoms, physical functions, and mood, and performed timed physical tasks. Usability was determined through a subset of the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), the full System Usability Scale (SUS), the Net Promoter Score (NPS), and semi-structured interviews. Results We obtained usability survey data from 50 of 54 patients. Median responses to the selected MARS questions and the mean SUS scores indicated above average usability. The NPS from the semi-structured interviews at the end of the study was 24, indicating a favorable score. Conclusions Cancer patients reported above average usability for the DBM app. Qualitative analyses indicated that the app was easy to use and helpful. Future work will emphasize implementing further patient recommendations and evaluating the app's clinical efficacy in multiple settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Oakley-Girvan
- Strategy and Science Departments, Medable Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA
- The Data and Technology Proving Ground, The Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Reem Yunis
- Strategy and Science Departments, Medable Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | - Elad Neeman
- San Francisco Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Raymond Liu
- San Francisco Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Sara Aghaee
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Maya E Ramsey
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Ai Kubo
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Sharon W Davis
- Strategy and Science Departments, Medable Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA
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Seshadri S, Norton SA, Stahl T, Shah M, Dini M, Yarab N, Holtrop JS, Kluger BM. Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Challenges of Caregiving During a Pandemic for Parkinson's Family Care Partners. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2022:10499091221119462. [PMID: 35943434 DOI: 10.1177/10499091221119462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: To understand Parkinson's Disease (PD) care partners' a) specific challenges that led to worsening strain and b) their suggestions for supports to help them during the ongoing pandemic. Method: Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews with family care partners (n = 19) were completed. Participants were recruited from 10 sites across the United States that varied in size, demographics of patient population served, and geographic location (urban, suburban, rural). Interviews were audio-recorded, de-identified, transcribed verbatim, and coded in a phased manner. The research team analyzed the data and identified themes. Results: During the pandemic, the already difficult task of caregiving was made worse by having to choose between poor options. Five themes exemplified PD care partner experiences: (1) Managing risks and benefits of medical care in settings outside the home vs meeting these needs at home; (2) Struggling to maintain employment benefits with the costs of care and risks of bringing in outside caregivers; (3) Struggling to balance caregiving and self-care; (4) Struggling to be supportive and taking on new caregiving roles in the face of less support services; and (5) Wanting social connections and feeling pressured to maintain isolation. Care partners wanted timely access to, and guidance from healthcare teams to help them. Conclusions: Care partner burden was worsened by lack of guidance when confronted by choices that could lead to negative outcomes. Movement disorder and palliative care providers may be able to alleviate some care partner burden through building systems for timely access and guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Seshadri
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Sally A Norton
- University of Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester NY, USA
| | - Tyler Stahl
- 6927University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Mina Shah
- 6927University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Megan Dini
- Parkinson's Foundation, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Jodi Summers Holtrop
- 12225Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery (ACCORDS) at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Benzi M Kluger
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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Effects of Mobile Application Program (App)-Assisted Health Education on Preventive Behaviors and Cancer Literacy among Women with Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182111603. [PMID: 34770117 PMCID: PMC8582743 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed (1) to study the effects of health education on preventive behaviors and cancer literacy among women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN); (2) to compare the effects of mobile application program (App)-assisted health education with traditional book-form health education. Participants: A total of 132 women ages 20 to 69 years women. Methods: This prospective longitudinal study enrolled 132 CIN women who were evaluated three times. Propensity score matching was used by controlling subjects’ age strata, body mass index, education level, occupation, and type of surgery. Results: The influences of various educational tools were investigated. Four domains were assessed, including health behavior, attitude towards behavior change, self-efficacy of behavior, and cervical cancer (CCa) literacy. Significant improvements in behavior change and CCa literacy due to a health education program were observed (p ≤ 0.002). The App combined with a traditional booklet had the highest score for behavior change and was significantly greater than the booklet-only learning (p = 0.002). The App-assisted form, either App alone or combined with booklet, had a significantly better impact on health promotion when compared to the booklet alone (p = 0.045 and 0.005, respectively). App-only learning had the highest score of CCa literacy (p = 0.004). Conclusion: Health education interventions can have positive effects in terms of change of behavior and CCa literacy. App-assisted learning could be used as a supportive technology, and App learning alone or combined with a traditional booklet may be an innovative model of clinical health promotion for women with CIN.
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