eRAPID-Implementation (eRAPIDi) Implementing digitally supported cancer care: from clinical trial to clinical practice
Start date: October 2024
Current end date: September 2028
eRAPIDi is a 4 year project funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research which aims to help widen the use of digitally supported cancer care using electronic patient reported outcome measures (ePROMs).
Background and aims:
Research studies have shown that digital platforms (using web based or mobile solutions) can help patients to report symptoms and problems and improve monitoring during treatment. Importantly, studies show that using digital ePROMs interventions can benefit overall patient wellbeing, quality of life and in some cases support the completion of planned treatment and survival. However, few cancer services use ePROMs in practice.
This project builds on our completed eRAPID trials where we successfully developed and evaluated an ePROMs monitoring solution which allowed patients to complete symptoms assessments remotely, receive management guidance and made ePROMs reports available for review within electronic medical records. Through eRAPIDi we want support cancer teams to use the eRAPID approach in everyday practice across a range of cancer settings.
Methods:
We will focus on early breast cancer, lung cancer and blood cancers and also explore opportunities to collaborate with other teams who are keen to use ePROMs in their cancer care pathways.
Using service evaluation and quality improvement methods, we will work with patients and cancer teams to 1) refine the eRAPID approach for their setting, 2) introduce the system in practice 3) gather clinical data and insight on how the intervention is functioning and 4) further refine the intervention as needed.
Outcomes:
To measure project effectiveness, we will evaluate data on:
– Uptake and use of the digital intervention
– Completion rates of planned cancer treatments
– Financial costs to patients and the NHS
The findings will be used to develop resources for cancer teams and hospital managers to help introduce and maintain digital ePROMs monitoring across the region and improve treatment effectiveness in more cancer groups.
Project team:
Co-Principal Investigators
Dr Kate Absolom [email protected]
Prof Galina Velikova [email protected]
Co-applicants
Dr Katie Spencer
Dr Chris Parrish
Dr Katy Clarke
Prof Kathrin Cresswell
Research team
Dr Sarah Gelcich, Research Fellow
Marie Holmes, Research Assistant
Rob Carter, Informatics Manager