Technology has a huge influence on how clinical trials are conducted today, particularly for patients like those with metastatic breast cancer. These trials are intended to evaluate new treatments and to learn how they work. But being in a trial can be intimidating. There’s a lot to pay attention to symptoms, medications, doctor visits, and more. That’s where technology can help. With the proper tools, patients can stay organized, better manage their health, and remain plugged in to their medical team. Here are five ways tech can help.
Tracking Symptoms
When you’re participating in a clinical trial, it’s important that your doctor be made aware of how you feel daily. Apps and wearables, such as smartwatches, can help you monitor things like pain levels, fatigue, appetite, or nausea. Instead of trying to remember how you felt a week ago, simply log everything in real time on your phone. This allows doctors to identify problems early on and to see how well treatment works.
Medication Management
Taking the correct medication at the correct time is a big part of clinical trials for Metastatic Breast Cancer. Technology can assist patients in staying the course. Most apps can send you a reminder when it’s time to take a medication or start a treatment. Some even let you scan your medication to verify that it’s the right one. This can decrease the likelihood of a missed dose or taking the wrong medication. Tech helps people who take lots of meds keep their days organized and doses accurate.
Journaling
Journaling is also beneficial during a clinical trial. Patients are frequently requested to express how they feel or what changes they observe. A lot of folks would rather use a digital journal on their phone or tablet than fill up a notebook anyway. And they can help you keep your thoughts organized by date, reply to them over time, and even include pictures or voice notes. It can also be emotionally cathartic to journal.
Reminders
With all those appointments, tests, and check-ins, it’s only natural that there could be something important you forget. That’s why reminders are so useful for ensuring you don’t miss anything. Smartphones usually have built-in calendars or apps that can remind you about the times of doctor visits, taking your medicine, or completing a survey for the trial. Some automatically connect with the clinic’s system and send out alerts. These simple apps can go a long way to ensuring that you don’t leave behind anything that is important to your health or research.
Communication With Medical Personnel
It’s crucial to keep your medical team in the loop while on a clinical trial. Technology is now making that easier than ever. Messages sent securely via messaging apps or patient portals make it possible to ask questions, report side effects, or get advice without waiting for an in-person visit. Video calls work wonders. When it is harder to go to a clinic in person, video calls can allow you and a doctor or nurse to talk through the complexity of everything from how to take medications to how to monitor symptoms.
Technology can be an invaluable ally during clinical trials for metastatic breast cancer. It assists with patient self-management, organization, and information sharing. When used well, this tech can actually help ease stress and improve results for patients and researchers.
