Feasibility and Usability of a Mobile App-Based Interactive Care Plan for Migraine in a Community Neurology Practice:...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Digital Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Migraine significantly impacts quality of life and healthcare utilization.
• Limited access to evidence-based migraine care exacerbates patient challenges.
• Mobile health (mHealth) apps offer potential for improved patient education and self-management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel electronic health record-integrated mobile app, the Migraine Interactive Care Plan (MICP).
• To evaluate the feasibility, usability, and impact of the MICP on care teams in a community neurology setting.

Main Methods:

• A single-arm observational study assessed usability with 171 consecutive enrollees.
• Patients were randomized to routine care with or without the MICP.
• Feasibility was measured by downstream healthcare utilization (visits, calls, messages).

Main Results:

• 74.3% of patients completed at least one MICP task.
• Headache frequency decreased, and patient satisfaction significantly increased.
• The MICP cohort showed fewer face-to-face visits (10.7%) compared to controls (42%) without increased communication.

Conclusions:

• The EHR-integrated MICP was successfully implemented in a community neurology practice.
• The MICP improves patient access to care by reducing face-to-face visits without increasing clinician workload.
• Further research, including diverse patient input and primary care settings, is needed to optimize MICP engagement and impact.