Utilization and impact of a digital care platform on cancer patients in India.

Abstract

1576 Background: Cancer patients experience complex symptoms and treatment-related side effects that impair quality of life (QoL) and increase healthcare utilization. Digital health tools have the potential to improve symptom management and patient outcomes by facilitating real-time communication and support, especially for patients with limited access to immediate care. This study aimed to assess the usability and impact of a digital cancer care platform (Alivius) among Indian cancer patients, their primary caregivers, and care teams. Methods: We conducted a prospective, interventional, real-world study at a single tertiary cancer center in India from Jan 30, 2024, to Jun 11, 2024. We enrolled 100 cancer patients aged 18–80 years who had access to a smart phone, can read English, had a confirmed cancer diagnosis and had undergone at least one cycle of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Patients were asked to communicate their symptoms and concerns to the care team and got health education materials for their disease. Primary endpoints included the Monthly Active Users (MAU) and Net Promoter Score (NPS) a metric used to measure customer loyalty and satisfaction by asking customers how likely they are to recommend a company or product. Secondary endpoints included the number of chat interactions, patient-logged symptoms, and use of educational content. Data were collected through in-app user activity and user feedback surveys. Descriptive statistics summarized the data with chi-square test for categorical variables and t-tests or non-parametric tests for continuous variables. Results: Out of 100 registered patients (mean age 58.7 ± 12.5 years; 61% male), the majority had gastrointestinal (55%) and genitourinary (18%) cancers. 66 caregivers participated in survey, with 84.8% being immediate family members. Average MAU during the study period was 58. The NPS for recommending the hospital and the digital application was 30.9 and 32.4 respectively, indicating positive user perception. User engagement was high during the study period: 85% accessed educational content, 82% updated health status, and 78% tracked mood. A total of 2,825 app activities were recorded, including 888 health status updates and 436 chat interactions. 507 side effects alerts generated, 29.5% were high severity, primarily related to tiredness and fatigue (29.2%), gastrointestinal issues (27.2%), and pain (17.5%). Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) was 50 and 48.5 among care teams (Doctors & Nurses) and patients, respectively. The app facilitated real-time communication between patients, caregivers, and care teams. Conclusions: Digital platform demonstrated high user engagement and positive perceptions among both the patients and their caregivers. The app effectively facilitated communication, symptom tracking, and management of treatment side effects. Patient centered digital platforms hold promise for improving cancer care support.