The Role of mHealth in Oncology

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Mobile health (mHealth) can be so much more than smartphone apps, and it is a growing movement in the United States that can empower patients, providers, and payers, according to Meg Maley, RN, BSN, founder and CEO of CanSurround.

Ms Maley explained that for many cancer patients, the experience of their cancer journey is singular to them, regardless of the fact that many people have walked the path before. They can easily become overwhelmed and mHealth can be part of the solution.

mHealth technology doesn’t just compile data for the sake it doing so, but data that is personalized and can be analyzed and served back to the patient, provider, and case manager.

“Data is transformed into knowledge that has the power to influence actions and outcomes,” she explained.

Ms Maley also discussed applications that help guide patients and explained how CanSurround focused on reducing distress and creating emotional well-being for cancer patients.

“Instead of tracking people’s exercise patterns or nutrition, we’re tracking their mood, we’re tracking their distress, we’re tracking their emotional state, and then pushing them information, articles, etc., that corresponds to where they are emotionally on their journey,” she said.