Coping with cancer from the comfort of your home

Cancer patients will be able to be monitored from the comfort of their own home thanks to new technology.

It means clinicians can observe patients on a remote monitoring dashboard without them attending hospital clinics.

Patients can use an app on their phone and tablet which communicates with tech devices and allows doctors to see their patients’ symptoms, side effects, medication tolerance and a range of other biometric markers.

The new technology for oncology staff and carers allows patients to have consultations and conversations about their treatment from home.

It’s the result of a partnership between Careology and LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare.

The Careology technology, specifically designed for cancer care, is recommended by Macmillan Cancer Support. 

With cancer waiting times at record levels because of Covid-19, the app has the potential to take more people out of hospital, reduce waiting times and digitalise paperwork.

Jo Upton, deputy head of nursing of LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare, said: “Receiving cancer treatment is an incredibly challenging experience. We believe that having chemotherapy, delivered one-on-one by an experienced nurse in the comfort of your own home, coupled with the enhanced care and safety the platform provides, would make such a difference to our patients’ lives.

“Equipping those undergoing treatment with new technology will give our nurses greater insight into how their patients are coping. It also empowers those they care for to self-manage in between treatment, promote their safety and overall well-being.”

Careology was founded by Paul Landau whose experience of caring for a family member with cancer inspired him to develop the system. 

He said technology had a crucial role to play in helping healthcare providers deliver effective, scalable cancer care, whilst enhancing patient safety and improving the patient experience.

“Having instant access to this in depth, real-time information will provide consultants with greater confidence when referring their patients to receive treatment at home and outside of a hospital setting.”

Dany Bell, strategic advisor to Macmillan said: “Disruption to diagnosis and treatment have created significant challenges for patients and healthcare professionals. Finding ways to better support people living with cancer whilst establishing continuity of care is crucial now and in the future.”