In my current post as a research nurse/coordinator most work is done on different research platforms using coding and no client details. This is crucial to protect client safety and to follow GCP(GOOD Clinical Practice) Guidelines that are the basis of research ethics. To be able to use these interactive platforms users must pass a test and be signed in by the study group. In total the number of digital tools used is around 50 to 60. Most are independent and some can share information. Not all are ePlatforms. In oncology, where I work, cleint involvement in digital health is just starting, the first digital pathway is under planning for cancer clients. Reseach clients have their own digital tools to use: digital consent forms, diaries and questioners.
Social media cannot be used for patient communication due to sensitive client data issues and legalities. It could be used for advertising and promoting research awareness, a bit more about that later. First some tools I use in my everyday work.
IRT ®-interactive response technology and IWRS-Interactive Web Response System allows research facilities to randomize clients in treatment groups . Thess systems are also used to manage stocks e.g. medication is automatically shipped to center when stock researches certain level, dispensing medication and in the event of emergency allows centre with the permission of the study group to find out what medication client was on. My work with IWRS is to manage client randomization and medication dispensing, also updating details and corresponding this trial vendor correct irregularities.
ERT– global account is another research platform that connects different vendors with their clients. In one study in our centre client communicates from home to their research diary regarding their medication use and pain. Different materials can be submitted via ERT to be analyzed to international research centres and it offers also reports how clients are using their digital diaries at home. All client identification details are in codes securing the patient safety.
eCRF– electronic Case Report Form is another of my main digital tools to be used. All data collected from the client visits and their health is entered in to these forms. Information is then checked and resend back to us for corrections. Queries are corrected and data verified to be used in the study. At the moment I personally use 5 to 8 eCRFs daily and these are all different. Again, like in all research, clients personal details are encrypted. Manuals how and what data to enter in the forms are several hundred pages long. Sometimes just one word can change the whole meaning of the data required. Last week we worked on a query regarding study medication which we understood to be the new medication not yet in the market. Manual mentioned regimen which then changed the whole game of the data entering. Regimen was not only the study medication but all the medications client was receiving during this particular study regardless if they are already approved or not. This particular query caused an international conversation among the trial monitors, vendors and research group itself.
Teams– Microsoft is used to host meeting and international gatherings. Most training and meetings are since COVI19 been transferred to be carried out via Teams. Also used a lot as quick messaging portal during patient consultations to minimize disturbance. It is a lot quicker to ask the doctor the check clients left big toe than phone him to do so.
Social Media Tools in reseach
This is a different story as I mentioned earlier. In health care we are to protect our clients and all digital tools are classified as interfering into clients personal health and privacy.
Also since my workplace is part of Finnish Healthcare systems we are not able to make the decisions what digital tools to use even some tools would make our life easier. So I am going to plan a perfect world to communicate with clients and partners without thinking about confidence and data protection.
Doodle for organizing calendars and meetings with other associates . Easy to see calendar invites and availability. One can also organize video conferencing via Doodle using their partners. What I like about Doodle from their introductions is the interactive messaging where you can see other attendees response and can organize calendars to match. Saves a lot of time and e-mails when you can see everyone’s reply’s on one page. It can take days trying to organize a meeting for 10 busy professionals with other systems in use at the moment.
This would be great to use when e new study is starting. A study set up involves several departments and negotiations between different professionals. Would be great to be able to do it all in one platform where all details cold be finalized. This system is in real time and offers everyone to have access on same details being worked on. Now e-mails are being send back and forth, messages lost and time wasted. Perhaps something like this could be used in the planning stages, I need to discuss this with my team and with our contract team.
Instagram is already in use for most hospitals and even departments. This can be used to create awareness of cancer research in the area. All clients are entitled to be part of research and the more there is awareness about it the more candidates we can get. As you must be aware that not all candidates turn into subjects since research criteria is very specific. Instagram is easy to use and most people using some sort of social media use it.
Opens options to promote local and international business connections and awareness of possibilities in the field. I use it to find about business news and happenings in the field of research. It can connect professionals and help to find members of staff to replace lost ones or promote growth.
This one is a new social media platform to me. Perhaps not the best to use in serious business but worthwhile knowing. It advertises to be not like other social media platforms with no profiles, live feed of local information and happenings. It of course depends how active users there are it the area. Since it has no profiles users can post all sorts of material which sound a bit dubious. Hmm, perhaps not my cup of tea, then. I get easily vicariously embarrassed.
The elements of successful use of digital application
As a daughter and wife of an entrepreneur I can easily see the business and profitability of digital health going the wrong way. There are lot of money put in the digital health in health sector without thinking will it be profitable. I was trying to find information that would back my ideas regarding this topic when I found an interesting article regarding the successful elements of use of digital application by MIT Sloan, a business management school of world famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, US.
In this article Betsy Vereckey (August2022) highlights the 5 important elements of successful digital platform from a speech by Fidelity’s president of personal investing Joanna Rotenberg. I used titles from her speech to make my point in digital health, she talks more from the point of investing in digital technology but successful business is always successful business. And to me the successful use of digital application in health care is business as any business. Unfortunately is is not seen like that by all professionals in the field.
- Serve your clients where they are. On different platforms, on the phone and face-to-face. Health service needs to be able to offer services in all forms to clients in different areas.
- Build a healthy ecosystem: Built the best system to serve your purpose and keep reinventing it. Do not become idle once you have found a good recipe.
- Use data to create value: Having the correct data in your digital platform, right contact information for all parties and all data is up to date..
- Measure the right things: Find out how your digital service works by measuring and auditing as well as finding out how you can improve the service based on the results.
- Learn from your competitors: Know what is out there and create something different but sustainable to keep your product ahead of others by investing into it all the time.
Self Evaluation
This material made me realise how novice I am regarding to social media. And prefer to stay that way. But this has also made me realise how business oriented I actually am compared to some of my colleagues and how much this could benefit my industry when given the chance to share my values and ideas. My problem is that as just stated social media is not my media and that is how all is done now. When it comes to digital health business planning one should comply with one of the ideas of Joanna Rotenberg, serve your clients where they are.
References:
5 elements of a successful digital platform | MIT Sloan https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/5-elements-a-successful-digital-platform