Background/Purpose: Patients with a rheumatological condition require information regarding the disease itself and treatments regimes. This is particularly important for new patients.

Our local patient focus group asked for reliable information, produced by their rheumatology team with the aim to help self-management.  They wanted readily accessible information in one place, that they could review, replay and access, as required.

Methods: We decided the way forward was to produce a Rheumatology App, thus we gathered together a number of patients with a rheumatological condition, of various ages, the Rheumatology multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and identified an industry partner, hci.digital, who was able to advise on the development of an appropriate Application. We called this App ‘Rheumatology Connect’.

A picture is worth a thousand words, hence we developed over 40 short videos. Then, we provided links to other relevant patient websites e.g. NASS, Versus Arthritis, NRAS etc. We produced written information about various diseases and treatments e.g. Methotrexate. We also provided direct contact details, information about the local hospital and where to park. The written content, including video scripts, was provided by the authors and filmed by hci.digital.

Naturally, our patients were involved at all times and helped considerably in ensuring the App is easily navigable by all.

The results were presented to our patients in June 2018, who gave us their candid opinion of our efforts and how they would like us to develop the App further.

Results: Our App has been downloaded 2214 times, with over 10,000 visits and 35,000 page views, with peaks around the time of our monthly education sessions when we advertise the App to new patients.

Over 73% spent between 2-4 minutes in the App on each occasion with most of the videos being between 2-3 minutes long. Common hits include: videos on medications, contact details, different conditions, services available and clinic locations.

Patients have made spontaneous contact saying how valuable they find the information we have given them.

Emails and telephone calls can be made directly from the App, helping patients and aiding an efficient service by allowing direct phone calls or emails to the correct member of the MDT e.g. rheumatology physio, rather than going through the secretaries. Emailing rather than telephoning helps the department by making our services more efficient, as it frees up secreatarial time for other work.

Conclusion: Our patients have continued to download and use the App and it has become an important part of our patient education efforts, in particular, for those with a new diagnosis.

We can respond to patient queries more quickly now patients are contacting us by email rather than telephone and avoiding difficult to hear ansa-phone messages.

Our patient steering committee has asked us to develop interactive PROMS, a calendar reminder function and medicines management function and this is in process, having raised funds to develop this. The update of the App should be available by the end of the Summer 2020.

Download free from App store (search ‘Rheumatology Connect’) or go to www.rheumatologyconnect.info.

FIg 1: Downloads and where the App is being used

Fig 2: Most frequently viewed sections of the App

Fig 3: Time spent in App

« Back to ACR Convergence 2020

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/rheumatology-going-digital-developing-a-rheumatology-app-for-use-by-all-patients-attending-our-department-to-aid-remote-working-and-self-management/