Background: In the last 30 years, we have seen an increase in the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Most cases are diagnosed in the 2nd and 3rd decades of life, a population group that is most familiar with the latest innovations in technology. Patients want to obtain more information about their disease and have complete control over the pathology, while reducing physical meetings with their doctor. Starting from these ideas, the present study aimed to develop a mobile application (app) to support IBD patients on symptoms/events reporting and on treatment administration monitoring.
Methods: A multidisciplinary team was created to document and develop the app requirements and design its functionality. The app was beta-tested by several IBD patients. Their feedback was used to further refine the app.
Results: We developed connected apps for both smartphones and smartwatches, with dedicated sections for event reporting and medication administration reminders/reporting.
Conclusions: The development of apps dedicated to IBD patients is still in early progress. By creating this app, we aim to improve the evolution and compliance of IBD patients and to obtain new information that will have a beneficial impact on the management of these patients and open the door for personalized medicine.
Keywords: inflammatory bowel disease; mobile application; national registry; patient support.