Usability of an online application for reporting the burden of side effects in cancer patients

Purpose In the Netherlands, online patient reporting of side effects is a new phenomenon. The aim of this study was to gain insight into patients’ user experiences and the benefits of the web application BijKanker (‘AlongsideCancer’). Methods Patients in seven hospitals were asked to make entries in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Supportive care in cancer 2019-09, Vol.27 (9), p.3411-3419
Main Authors: van Eenbergen, Mies C., van den Hurk, Corina, Mols, Floortje, van de Poll-Franse, Lonneke V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cancer patients
Cancer therapies
Care and treatment
Chemotherapy
Electronic health records
Hospitals
Internet software
Medical research
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Medicine, Experimental
Nurses
Nursing
Nursing Research
Oncology
Original Article
Pain Medicine
Patient satisfaction
Questionnaires
Rehabilitation Medicine
Side effects
Usability
User experience
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Summary:Purpose In the Netherlands, online patient reporting of side effects is a new phenomenon. The aim of this study was to gain insight into patients’ user experiences and the benefits of the web application BijKanker (‘AlongsideCancer’). Methods Patients in seven hospitals were asked to make entries in BijKanker at least once a week. On logging in to the application for the first time (T1), patients were asked to complete a questionnaire on information needs and Internet use. Four months after starting their treatment (T2), they were asked to complete a second questionnaire on their experiences with BijKanker and its four functions: information; reporting side effects; communication with oncology nurses and clinicians; and data feedback. Results Ninety-nine patients logged in to BijKanker, 60 patients (61%) had completed the first questionnaire (T1) and 40 (40%) had also completed the second questionnaire (T2). In total, 1661 side effects were reported. Generally, patients experienced BijKanker as user-friendly and patients appreciated the attention given to their side effects. Conclusions The user-centred design gives ample insight into user experiences and usability. The results provide useful starting points for improvements to the online application. We recommend to put much effort into supporting oncology nurses in the implementation of the application.
ISSN:0941-4355
1433-7339
DOI:10.1007/s00520-019-4639-1