Oral oncology adherence application: Real-world pilot results.

Abstract

e13708 Background: In oncology care, non-adherence can lead to catastrophic and costly outcomes. Patients are highly motivated to follow prescribed treatment regimens. However, complex oral oncology medication regimens and common side effects can increase the risk of non-adherence. In addition, managing patients’ treatment response and side effect involves significant outreach efforts. Smart phone web-based applications (apps) can offer an effective communication tool for monitoring compliance and increasing adherence in outpatient settings. The objective of this research study was to design, implement, and evaluate the impact of a comprehensive oral oncology medication management app for patients and their care teams on key outcomes including measurements of app utility, user experience and the reliability of tracking medication adherence. Methods: Researchers partnered with oncology clinicians and patients to design and build a solution that includes a patient facing mobile app and a care team dashboard to help clinicians and patients track medications and communicate challenges. The solution was piloted in 2 clinics in a northern California-based health system from July 15 - November 1. Patients were eligible if they were taking oral oncolytics and approved for participation by their physician. Usage data for the app and dashboard were tracked and analyzed. Patient baseline and 2-month follow-up surveys were collected to understand the care experience with oral oncolytics and the app. Interviews with a subset of patients and clinicians were conducted shortly after starting solution use. Results: Thirty-seven patients enrolled in the study, with 24 patients completing the baseline survey, and 8 completing both baseline and follow-up surveys. Nine patient and 3 clinician interviews were conducted. Most patients surveyed (N = 20; 83%) did not report having trouble with their oral oncolytic schedules. A total of twenty-one enrolled patients downloaded and began using the app, and 30% used the app consistently to track their medication schedules. In qualitative interviews, patients described the benefits of feeling like they had their care team support while using the app but also described improvements to make the app provide better medication tracking support. The care team found features valuable but described challenges with limited app integration into the EHR which limited their adoption and use. Conclusions: The app holds the promise of supporting patients and care teams track medications but requires more integration to have consistent use and uptake.