At Datacubed Health, we’re transforming the patient experience through ePRO/eCOA by combining industry experts, technology innovation, and critical behavioral science principles. We aim to create experiences that all clinical trial patients and site staff want to interact with. When collaborating with us on protocol-based study designs, our partners sometimes ask, “This technology is great. But how does it work for an older population?”
A valid question, a modern ePRO / eCOA and Patient Engagement solution should improve the experience for everyone. It also points to a common misconception about innovation. Well-designed technology isn’t intimidating. Well-designed technology is simple and as easy to use as a smartphone.
I know this kind of innovation is possible in healthcare because I’ve seen it at work in my own family.
My in-laws, who are in their late 70s, are adept at using their iPhones to text, talk, and FaceTime. Yet it’s not uncommon for them to enlist my wife and me to help if they encounter a more complex software or connectivity issue.
A few months back, my wife got a call about technology. But they weren’t phoning for help. They wanted to share their excitement about a connected medical device my father-in-law had just received.
The device – which monitors his heart – was shipped directly to their home. Together, they opened the box, attached the device, turned it on, and entered some information through a guided process. Within moments, and with no “tech support,” they were getting updates about his heart – including key metrics that his doctor said require close monitoring.
Before the device, they were often wondering (and stressing) about those metrics. With the device, they have a reporting system they can access securely via computer or phone. They can see whether any conditions are out of the “safe” range in real-time. Moreover, they have peace of mind that the device will notify his cardiologist’s office if any risks emerge. And, if needed, the device will even tell them when he needs to get to the clinic.
Talk about innovation with purpose!
This state-of-the-art cardiac device isn’t complex or difficult to use. It hasn’t added to the burden of his care or their daily lives. Instead, it has motivated them and empowered them to be more active participants in my father-in-law’s cardiac care.
That’s the kind of innovation we pursue at Datacubed Health. For us, innovation isn’t a check-the-box exercise, profit-making pursuit or chance to flex our tech muscles.
Datacubed Health is innovating to create a better experience for clinical trial patients and the clinicians and study nurses who support them. We’re innovating so that our partners – CROs and sponsors – can have more confidence about their trials and the treatments they’re developing.
If you share this passion for innovation with purpose, have questions about the innovations we’ve implemented or what we’re working on now, it’s an exciting list, and I’d welcome the chance to talk with you about it.