Torbay Hospital Rheumatology Department have brought patients and physicians together with a new app; Rheumatology Connect. Dr Kirsten Mackay, a rheumatology consultant at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, commissioned an app from partnership organisation Health & Care Videos.
Having worked closely with the department on other online resources, Health & Care Videos were able to design an app that compliments a patient’s journey through the rheumatology service, incorporating 12 patient information videos created on the conditions.
Through this app, launched on 8th June 2018, patients with inflammatory conditions like arthritis, gout and ankylosing spondylitis can discover information about their condition, medication and treatment options within South Devon.
Health & Care Videos created the app using information from clinicians, nationally recognised sources (e.g. ARUK and NRAS) and a focus group of current rheumatology patients in South Devon.
This app also provides information about Torbay’s Rheumatology Department, including:
- Contact details
- Team profiles
- Clinic locations
- Treatments available
Rheumatology Connect ensures that all the information patients need is available in one place. The click-to-call functionality also means that help from expert nurses and consultants is never far away.
The app, available on both iOS and android devices, can be downloaded from www.rheumatologyconnect.info.
Dr Mackay has large ambitions for this project. The long-term goal is to create a fully interactive app with push notifications and condition measures, that will improve quality of life for rheumatology patients by helping them to manage their condition, medications and appointments.
Dr Kirsten Mackay, Torbay Rheumatology Department said “Developing a rheumatological condition is daunting; especially when pain, stiffness and fatigue takes over. Treatment is complex, but this app will help newly diagnosed patients as well as those who have had the condition for a while. Rheumatology Connect gives patients all the information they need at their fingertips. It contains expert advice, frequently asked questions, medicine updates and contact details for the department.”
