Design of the functional requirements of a smartphone app for patients receiving oral antineoplastic agents: The e-OncoSalud® app.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To design a mobile app based on the needs of the onco-hematological patient receiving oral antineoplastic agents. METHODS: A multidisciplinary working group (pharmacy-oncology-hematology) was created to design the app. The study was developed in three phases first, we analyzed the features of patients receiving oral antineoplastic agents. We then analyzed available apps for cancer patients. Finally, we designed the app's functionalities. RESULTS: We included 51 patients with middle-advanced age (68.7 years (SD=10.7)). They were polymedicated (mean 5.3 (SD = 2.7), with numerous drug-drug interactions and adverse effects (all patients presented adverse effects). We then analyzed 166 apps. Most apps had more than one use, the most frequent being information (39.8%) and diagnosis (38.6%). Ten apps (6%) were for registering and monitoring treatment and adverse effects. Almost half of the apps (48.8%) were developed by healthcare organizations. Finally, we designed an app (e-OncoSalud®) with the following functionalities (a) agenda; (b) treatment and drug interactions checker; (c) continuous recording of self-controls (weight, blood pressure, general condition) and adverse effects. The management of the adverse effects are based on an algorithm which provides different recommendations according to the adverse effects severity; (d) patient-pharmacist messaging in real-time; (e) education. CONCLUSIONS: After analysis of the main problems affecting these patients and the needs not covered by the existing apps, we designed e-OncoSalud®. It integrates relevant information about their treatment, focused on drug interactions identification and the prevention, and management of adverse effects.