CureCancer Digital Platform In The Routine Clinical Oncology Practice Facilitates Patients’ Self-Data Recording, Communicating With Health Care Professionals, Treatment Adherence And “Distancing Interventions” During Covid-19 And Reduces Costs. A Feasibility And Satisfaction Study*.

Abstract

Purpose: We assessed CureCancer’s feasibility and patients’ and HCPs’ satisfaction. CureCancer is a patient-centric/driven platform, which enables patients to self-create their profile, report symptoms and communicate with physicians.Methods: Patients from 18 Centers were asked to register at CureCancer, upload their data and complete a questionnaire on demographics, disease and treatment characteristics, and their satisfaction. Results: 159 patients were enrolled and 144 (90.6%) registered. 114 of 144 (79.1%), 63 males and 51 females, median age 54.5 years, completed the questionnaire. 64 patients were University and 35 were high School graduates. 46 patients had metastatic disease, 87 were on active treatment and 51 received supportive care. All patients also visited non-oncology HCPs. Nineteen patients changed work status and 49 had children below 24 years. Registration was “very/very much” easy for 98 (86.0 %) patients. File uploading was “very/very much” easy for 47 (41.2%) patients. Over 80% of patients and physicians preferred the digital way. 99 patients and all HCPs will recommend CureCancer to others. Easy data access, improved communication, feeling safe, treatment adherence, interventions from distance, particularly during covid-19 pandemic and saving time and money, were highly commented by patients and HCPs. Conclusion: CureCancer was feasible and patients and HCPs were satisfied. File uploading changed to become more user friendly. Integration of CureCancer in the routine practice is expected to improve cancer care and reduce cancer costs. Patients’ self-reporting, with CureCancer, can increase the accuracy of clinical trial results and map social/work/economic issues following cancer diagnosis to assist health care policy.