A Concept for Improving Cross-Sector Care by a Mobile Patient Navigator App

Hip and knee joint prosthetic implants are common surgical interventions in Switzerland, as well as in other countries. Different care providers are involved in the care process which constitutes a potential risk of inefficiency and communication deficits. A patient can get lost on his cross-sectoral clinical pathway, miss appointments or underestimate the relevance of certain control visits or examinations. To address this, we introduce a concept for a mobile application that guides patients along the cross-sectoral clinical pathway. The information on appointments is consistently retrieved from information systems at the care provider's side. This facilitates the coordination of activities and appointments not only for the patient, but also for the care providers. The aim is to promote the patients' autonomy, to support their management of appointments, to increase the understanding for their clinical condition and to improve their adherence to the prescribed measures - all of which lead to an improved outcome. Another aim is to increase patient satisfaction in terms of adequate information and quality of treatment. The advantages and disadvantages of the concept will be discussed. goes here.