Development and Implementation of an eHealth Oncohematonootric Program: Descriptive, Observational, Prospective...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Digital Health
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy face significant physical and nutritional challenges.
• Digital transformation offers new avenues to support patient well-being and treatment adherence.
• The Nootric app was developed to integrate healthcare professionals and patients for lifestyle management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of eHealth tools on nutrition and well-being in oncohematologic patients.
• To assess the role of physical-nutritional management in improving chemotherapy tolerance.
• To determine the clinical utility of the Nootric app in routine practice.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, observational, longitudinal pilot study involving 22 oncohematologic patients in active chemotherapy.
• Patients received training on the Nootric app, emphasizing nutrition and physical activity.
• Data collected included sociodemographics, clinical-biological parameters, healthcare impact, usability, and adherence.

Main Results:

• High adherence (81% after excluding dropouts) was observed among patients using the Nootric app.
• No worsening of clinical-biological parameters or treatment discontinuation due to physical-nutritional issues occurred.
• Significant improvements in nutritional habits (92%) and reduced unscheduled visits/admissions were reported, with high patient and professional satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Integrating eHealth tools like the Nootric app fosters multidisciplinary collaboration for oncohematologic patient care.
• The app aids in early detection of physical-nutritional issues, preventing complications and reducing healthcare burden.
• This approach demonstrates the potential of digital health to enhance patient outcomes and treatment tolerance in oncology.