Engaging patients in all steps of their health and healthcare is key to communicating and understanding fundamentals in treatment and disease management, especially as wider treatments become available for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. As resources, experts, and time are limited in the clinic, patients often find, consume, and share unverified information online that is not based on evidence. As such, in collaboration with the AD patient committee, we identified the need for a digital tool to facilitate information exchange and education as a key priority by both patients and clinicians.
Expert and patient partners were engaged on a local and national level in order to develop a mobile health application, EczemaQ, to address this need. This award-winning bilingual tool will feature patient-driven topics and evidence-based content, as well as interactive modules that help with therapy management and flare tracking. The app is designed to facilitate communication between patient and physician, through visual and historical data sharing.
An iterative process is currently underway to co-produce and validate EczemaQ in partnership with patients and healthcare providers, using integrated knowledge translation and participatory research. While EczemaQ is still in the developmental phase, here is a sneak peek:
Features
EczemaQ will feature the following functionalities:
- Information and educational modules (What, Why, Where, When, What Now)
a. Short videos
b. Cartoons
c. Text-based content
d. Language at 5th grader level - Featured content which highlights key messaging
- Language option (French or English)
- Search
- Personalized and interactive features
a. My notes
b. My bookmarks
c. My diagnosis
d. My body - POEM scoring (tracks score over time, exportable data)
- Photo gallery and diary function with notes
- Interactive body map with treatment information, which can be personalized
- App content can be updated by admin on an ongoing basis
Body Map
The body map is an interactive feature that allows the user to learn about AD, as it pertains to each body part:
● Selecting each body part highlights basic information and a list of treatments specific to the selected body part
● User can bookmark specific treatments that are currently prescribed to him/her for each specific body part. This information will be saved in a personalized map called “My Body”
● Information saved to My Body can be added or removed based on current flare-ups and prescriptions
Photo Gallery
This feature allows the user to take photos using their phone’s camera, or to upoad photos from their phone’s photo gallery.
● Photo can be tagged based on body part
● Notes can be added to each photo taken
● Photos are saved and organized by date
● Photos can be shared with dermatologist
Notes
● Allows user to take notes
● Notes will be organized based on date of entry
POEM Scores
POEM scores can be collected daily, or as frequently as the app user desires.
● Graph shows POEM score over time
● Results can be shared (exported to email, presented to dermatologist during clinical visit)
Want to try out a beta version of EczemaQ?
Eczéma Québec is looking for patient partners to give feedback on the app during its development. Send us an email at the address below if you would like to participate.
Want to help launch EczemaQ?
While EczemaQ is still in production, Eczéma Québec is looking for donations to cover the costs of the educational content.
Donate today at the link below to help Eczéma Québec reach its goal of $10,000.