REAL-TIME DETECTION OF PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES (PRO) THROUGH AN APP (TUMMI): A BRAZILIAN EXPERIENCE

Introduction: patient-reported outcomes (PRO) data are critical for informing patient-centered care and have been shown to enhance our ability to communicate with patients, to control their symptoms, and to impact their survival. However, PRO data are not commonly collected in routine cancer care due to challenges such as cost, technological rigidity of existing electronic health records, and misalignment of stakeholders incentives. Aim of study: in an effort to bridge the unmet needs of PRO collection and integration into routine cancer care, we developed a symptom monitoring and management system that were launched as a free mobile app (Tummi) in August, 2018. We want to share with other professionals involved in cancer patient care the data collected since the emergence of this facility. Methods: Tummi is designed for reporting 28 common symptoms from the National Cancer Institutes Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Symptoms are reported in a 3-point scale mild, moderate and severe. Also, patient reported an overall well-being with 3-point scale represented by emojis. Tummi has the functions to record symptoms, summarize the reporting in physical printout, and automatically store and analyze the input symptoms into graphical interpretations. Results: since august 2018, 1708 patients downloaded and enjoyed the app. Of these, 408 recorded spontaneously their diagnosis, being the majority (80%) patients with breast cancer. The most common side effect registered was fatigue followed by back pain, pelvis pain and respiratory alterations. Regarding general well-being reports, male patients (22%) and female patients (78%) totaled 5265 records. Of these, on 56% of the time the patients were well, while in 36% they were average and in another 8% they felt bad when made the report. Conclusions: there is a huge opportunity to better deliver our care for cancer patients and empowered them through collecting their own data. Tummi proved to be doable and understandable for patients language in Brazil.

 

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No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

Publication History

Article published online:
23 October 2019