Following Up Patients With Chronic Pain Using a Mobile App With a Support Center: Unicenter Prospective Study

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Digital Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Chronic pain affects many globally, necessitating multidisciplinary treatment.
• Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a viable pain management option, but requires consistent patient follow-up.
• eHealth apps can enhance remote patient follow-up, yet adherence often declines over time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate patient adherence to a novel remote follow-up system.
• The system integrates a mobile app for patients and a support center for healthcare professionals.
• This study aimed to improve adherence in patients undergoing SCS for chronic pain.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary committee approved the system design.
• A mobile app, professional website, and remote support center were developed.
• Prospective data collection from January 2020 to August 2023 included survey completion, SMS reminders, and calls.

Main Results:

• 64 patients (62.5% female) were included, with 57.8% reaching the implantation phase.
• Overall mean adherence was 87.37%, decreasing from 94.53% in the pretreatment phase to 65.68% in the implantation phase.
• Adherence was significantly higher in earlier treatment phases (P<.001).

Conclusions:

• The developed remote follow-up system, including a support center, enhances patient adherence, particularly in later treatment stages.
• Despite improvements, adherence to the eHealth app decreased over the study period.
• Further research is required to explore the link between app adherence and pain management outcomes.