Following a soft launch last year, the chemoWave disease companion app has now been fully released for chemotherapy patients interested in better managing their care, symptoms, and side effects.
The app, which is available for free download on iOS, was heavily influenced by Treatment Technologies & Insights, LLC cofounder Matt Lashey’s experiences during the time his partner was undergoing therapy for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. In particular, he noted the impact that data collection and analysis could have on an individual and their care team’s ability to manage illness and the side effects of chemotherapy.
“Our technology is much more than a symptom tracker — chemoWave is a virtual advocate that enables patients and caregivers to analyze the entire treatment experience outside the clinical setting (including meds, meals, symptoms, side effects, activities and other experiences) and then it goes further to uniquely analyze the resulting patterns and correlations,” Lashey told MobiHealthNews in an email. “Users thus have a virtual advocate that provides real-time actionable insights and opportunities for interventions.”
The chemoWave mobile app allows patients undergoing chemotherapy to log a number of activities that may be affecting their overall condition, such as water consumption, exercise, medication, and entertainment. When paired with information about their treatment, physical symptom severity, and emotional wellbeing, the HIPAA-compliant, HITRUST-certified tool develops an interactive log of their overall condition that can be easily shared with caregivers. These data are also analyzed by the app to create personalized insights and suggestions that can help the user reduce their discomfort and improve their health.
The service also comes with a selection of other tools to assist patients, including a medication management and adherence system and a journal to help users document their thoughts and questions.
According to the app’s webpage, the app can be used by patients facing any chronic medical condition, although additional tools designed specifically for those undergoing dialysis or with Type 2 diabetes are also planned for the future. Currently, the company says that the potential benefits of chemoWave are being actively explored by several healthcare providers.
“chemoWave is working closely with top researchers and programs at various leading healthcare systems and cancer organizations to collect and monitor everything a patient is experiencing during treatment — the emotional state as well as physical and mental — with the explicit goal of more efficient collaboration with healthcare providers/caregivers,” Bob Badal, cofounder of Treatment Technologies & Insights, told MobiHealthNews in an email. “Self-monitoring of a patient’s condition gives patients a huge boost in confidence and understanding to stay strong during the fight, and offers doctors the most comprehensive cancer tool needed for collaborative care.”
