Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust has launched a new app that helps patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) to monitor their own condition.
The app, which allows IBD patients to self-test and self-monitor safely from home, has been piloted by the Trust with over 200 patients having already used it. Hospitals that have utilised the app so far include Basildon, Southend and Broomfield.
The Trust says that the technology ‘transforms’ smartphones into test readers, enabling patients to check their own samples, manage their own care and gain a greater understanding of the disease and their health.
Jacqueline Roscoe, IBD nurse specialist, told the Trust’s website: “Feedback from the patients has been excellent. They found the kits very easy to use and they really like the fact that they get to see the results quickly.
“These kits give the patients a better understanding of how their disease is doing, so they can see if their inflammatory markers are high or under control, and then take appropriate action.”
The home testing kits aim to speed up the testing process and it’s hoped they also provide patients with reassurance, by taking away the worry of regular waiting times for results.
Dr Pushpakaran Munuswamy, Gastroenterology Department Lead, told the Trust: “I’m seeing a huge difference already, because we can escalate treatment within a day or two of requesting the test. Previously, there was a wait of around four to six weeks or even longer depending on when the sample was taken and the capacity in the labs.”
Find out more about Mid and South Essex NHS FT’s work with apps, via the Trust website.
