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As the increasing number of New Zealanders are being diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), University of Otago researchers have developed a smartphone application (app), proven to be effective as clinical care in helping patients manage their disease.
IBDsmart, an app for symptom monitoring for patients with IBD, is a Gastroenterologist, Associate Professor Michael Schultz at the New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology in Dunedin today.
At the launch, Associate Professor Schultz will also be presenting a clinical trial of the app, with IBDoc® as a commercially-available product for stool monitoring. Over 100 patients with standard face-to-face outpatient care.
IBDsmart was used for symptom monitoring, while IBDoc® for stool monitoring. Results have shown that both patients and doctors are acceptable, usable and non-inferior to standard clinic-based care.
"The study showed that there was no difference in terms of whether they used the apps or had face-to-face meetings," Associate Professor Schultz explains.
"The significance is great because we have reduced the number of outpatient appointments that we have to offer. on need, "he says.
"But not only do we have time to see urgent patients, but also all the indirect costs."
Currently, there are about 22,000 patients with IBD in New Zealand with numbers growing about 5.6 per cent annually. The patient was shown to have a patient who was diagnosed with asthma. There was no difference in the number of surgical outpatient appointments or IBD-related hospitalisations.
A further trial is now being run in Central Otago, where the use of the IBDsmart app is used for teleconference. It is supported by the Southern District Health Board.
Up until now, apps have been widely used for new Zealand for management of IBD. The IBDoc® app is commercially available but it is not publicly funded. Following the launch of IBDsmart, it will be freely available for download from the App Store. The app will also be promoted by Chron's and Colitis New Zealand as their members and associate professor Schultz expects national pick-ups.
Prof. Tobias Langlotz, Prof. Dr. Murray Barclay from the Department of Gastroenterology, University of Otago, Christchurch, PhD student, Andrew, Prof. Dr. Holger Regenbrecht and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Information Science McCombie and Middlemore Hospital gastroenterologist, Dr. Russell Walmsley.
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