Digital Transformation in Oncology: Monitoring of Adverse Effects of Oral Antineoplastic Agents Through mHealth Solutions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30953/thmt.v11.627Keywords:
cancer, digital transformation, health empowerment, medical oncology, mHealth, mobile apps, nursing, pharmacy, telehealthAbstract
Background: Healthcare systems face sustainability challenges, exacerbated by the rise of chronic diseases such as cancer, which require continuous care. This study proposes using a mobile application (App) to monitor adverse effects (AEs) of oral antineoplastic (OAAs) agents at home, improving patient quality of life and optimizing healthcare resources.
Objective: The primary objective was to redesign the care process for monitoring OAAs-related AEs through an App. Specific goals included selecting a suitable App, reengineering the care process, implementing the App, and evaluating health empowerment, patient experience, and App quality.
Methods: This prospective interventional study was conducted at the Oncohematology Pharmacy Outpatient Clinic of the Andorran Healthcare Service (SAAS, by its acronym in Catalan) with adult patients receiving OAAs. The study lasted 9 months, including 3 months of App use. It involved four phases: 1). App selection, 2). Care process reengineering, 3). App implementation, and 4). Analysis of the usability and quality of the App from the patient's perspective, their empowerment in managing their health, and their satisfaction with using the App.
Results: In Phase 1, the Abeona Health® App was selected for its free access and ability to manage 13 AEs. In Phase 2, the App was integrated into the healthcare process to empower patients at home. In Phase 3, 47 patients (average age: 63.1 years; 57% female) used the App. The most reported AEs were asthenia, abdominal pain, and anxiety. Twenty-eight percent (28%) required referrals to other professionals (including 1 hospital admission). All participants received training in digital and health literacy. The majority (87%) were intermediate technology users according to the Android classification. Messaging was actively used for consultations and appointment management. In Phase 4, after 3 months of App use, the number of empowered patients (as for the National Observatory of Technology and Society [ONTSI] scale) increased from 35 to 41, though the average score remained at 3.31. The App’s quality (assessed via the User Version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale [uMARS]) was high: 4.44/5 for objective quality and 4.42/5 for subjective quality. Patients valued daily communication and personalized care.
Conclusions: The implementation of the App demonstrated improvements in oncology care by enabling proactive monitoring of AEs from home, reducing healthcare burden, and fostering patient autonomy. Direct and frequent communication with professionals increased satisfaction and the perception of personalized care. These results suggest that similar digital tools could be extended to other chronic diseases, enhancing the efficiency and quality of healthcare systems. Thus, technology positions itself as a key ally for more sustainable and patient-centered medicine.
Key words: Nursing, Pharmacy, Cancer, Toxicity, mobile Apps, Health Empowerment, Telemedicine, Medical Oncology.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Carlota de Miguel Barbero, RN, PhD, Elvira Gea Rodríguez PharmD, PhD, Francesc Garcia Cuyàs, MD, PhD
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