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What should this app be able to do ? Here are a few things that I think are especially important :
Ability to connect with all members of your care team ( primary care doctor , oncologist , nurse navigator even if they work in different health systems ). 2 Ability to connect with caregivers and share information with them . 3 A diary to describe daily thoughts , symptoms , and side effects , flagging specific keywords that can alert a member of your care team 4 A calendar with appointments ( date / time , office location , directions ) 5 Tips to assist with mental health ( i . e . offering local or national support groups [ both virtual and in - person ], counseling that accepts insurance and / or is offered on a sliding scale ) 6 Medications ( dosage , picture of what it looks like , how to take it , and what to do if you accidentally miss a dose or take more than what is prescribed , ability to refill ) Blood work ( results and what they mean [ featuring a scale of what ’ s low vs . normal vs . high ], what to ask your doctor about in terms of next steps ) Imaging ( results and what they mean , what to ask your doctor in terms of next steps ) Ability to keep track of : 1
Exercise routines with different forms of exercise ( yoga , Pilates , HIIT , weightlifting , walking and running , etc .) based on how you ’ re feeling side effect - and energy - wise 7
Information about nutrition through the different phases of a cancer journey ( pre - treatment vs . in - treatment vs . post - treatment ) that includes recipes 8
Most importantly , all of this information should be in plain language that ’ s easy to understand in whatever language the patient is most comfortable reading 9
Having an app that features all of these capabilities , I believe , would push the needle forward in patient care , not only creating better health outcomes , but a more satisfied patient . What would you add to the list ?
THYROID CANCER EMPOWERMENT LEAD Carly Flumer
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