Update below About 18,250 people are diagnosed with bone marrow failure each year. A non profit foundation and a behavior change app producer 2morrow have collaborated on an app to help patients record their reaction to therapies to improve outcomes.
The Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation contributed the content for the mobile device app for patients and families with aplastic anemia — a condition in which the body doesn’t produce enough red blood cells. It can also be used for myelodysplastic syndromes — another set of conditions that affect the bone marrow and can range from mild forms to more aggressive forms that can develop into a more severe condition called acute myelogenous leukemia. It will also provide the app free to people living with these and other conditions related to bone marrow failure.
In addition to this app, 2morrow has also developed mobile apps for wellness programs for companies and hospitals. Its COO, Jo Masterson, is a former registered nurse.
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Update In an email, Masterson explained why the foundation picked the company.
“They liked that we are focused in the space and have a platform that we could customize to fit their needs ( saving them dollars compared to a full custom developed app).
“This first version of the app will test the waters and be used as a learning experience. If patients find it useful we may go back and add more features including things like EHR integration and some behavior change tools. They hope to ‘encourage’ treatment compliance by allowing users to see small changes over time.”
The app lets users track their symptoms and treatments for their own use in understanding and managing their disease. What’s the need for a symptom tracker app for patients with rare bone marrow conditions? These conditions often require repeated cycles of drugs before patients notice an effect and improvement in their quality of life, according to a company statement. Stopping treatment early can result in less desirable results. This app will help users track their own progress and see even small improvements over time.
Users can record how they feel on their medication and treatment regimens on a scale of one to 10. It’s intended to help physicians understand how patients are feeling in connection with certain drugs and any potential side effects. The physicians may be able to provide other therapies to help manage any symptoms and side effects experienced. Users can also review lab work data.
Symptom tracker apps have been developed for other conditions such as Crohn’s Disease and other conditions associated with the GI track and chronic diseases.
