The new smart phone app and web portal helps oesophageal cancer patients and their carers understand and manage their journey better.
A pilot is running in Barnet Hospital that aims to demonstrate that patients can be supported better and that the overall Cancer Nurse Specialists (CNS) workload can be reduced, enabling CNSs to focus more of their expertise on patients with the most needs.
The new app and web portal supports CNSs connect to, monitor, share information and improve the timeliness of their interventions with their patients. In turn patients receive accurate, reliable and easily comprehensible health information conveniently, privately, and at exactly the time they need it in relation to their specific pathway.
In London a new care pathway has been established for people with oesophageal cancer living in the north, central and east London Cancer Alliance. Surgery is performed by a single ‘high volume’ specialist centre based at University College Hospital (UCH), with supportive care delivered by local hospitals.
Professor Elizabeth Murray, Head of the Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health and Co-Director, eHealth Unit, UCL said “This is an exciting project, driven by cancer clinicians and patients, which has the potential to improve patient health outcomes and experience while reducing CNS workload and saving money for the NHS.”
Professor Muntzer Mughal, Honorary Clinical Professor and Consultant UGI Surgeon, UCLH “This is an exciting project. The product will allow patients to access information and advice tailored to their condition and access to the CNS through the App. The App will also enable the CNS and clinicians to track the progress of their patients and to interact with them with advice and information and reminders about tests and appointments.”
