Using Technology to Aid Community Palliative Care Report
Context
As everyone is aware, NHS staffing levels are already stretched. Finding ways for patients, their loved ones, and the NHS to work together to improve patients’ lives, in spite of this stretch, are central to planning future development of services for patients.
Introduction
Our aim was to discover which technology platforms people currently use to monitor their health and to understand how easy they find these to use. We wanted to learn from people if they have any preferences and discover any potential barriers they encountered when using digital technology.
Using Technology to Aid Community Palliative Care
This piece of work began with a focus group to help shape the survey questions. The survey opened on the 1 August and closed on 17 September 2024, and 56 people completed the survey.
We then held a face-to-face focus group attended by four people and had follow-up conversations with survey respondents.
Things have moved on and we are now testing the ease of logging in and completing questionnaires using a DOCCLA app through a specific survey.
DOCCLA provide comprehensive Virtual Health Services for patients with all levels of illness – from those who are managing at home and need occasional monitoring, through to those being monitored daily and are ‘hospital at home’ patients (also known as Virtual Ward patients).
This DOCCLA App integrates remote monitoring of the patient (where the patient inputs information into the app at home); telemedicine opportunities (including telephone and video calls); offers useful information links for the patient; and enables clinical support at home.
We will be assessing a DOCCLA App that is specific to individuals with a life-limiting illness (also known as palliative care patients), and patients in their last year of life.
