Mobile and wearable device-captured data have the potential to inform Parkinson's disease (PD) care. The objective of the Clinician Input Study was to assess the feasibility and clinical utility of data obtained using a mobile health technology from PD patients. In this observational, exploratory study, PD participants wore a smartwatch and used the Fox Wearable Companion mobile phone app to stream movement data and report symptom severity and medication intake for 6 months. Data were analyzed using the Intel® Pharma Analytics Platform. Clinicians reviewed participants' data in a dashboard during in-office visits at 2 weeks, 1, 3, and 6 months. Clinicians provided feedback in focus groups leading to dashboard updates. Between June and August 2017, 51 PD patients were recruited at four US sites, and 39 (76%) completed the 6-month study. Patients streamed 83,432 h of movement data from their smartwatches (91% of expected). Reporting of symptoms and medication intake using the app was lower than expected, 44% and 60%, respectively, but did not differ according to baseline characteristics. Clinicians' feedback resulted in ten updates to the dashboard during the study period. Clinicians reported that medications and patient reported outcomes were generally discernable in the dashboard and complementary to clinical assessments. Movement, symptoms, and medication intake data were feasibly translated from the app into a clinician dashboard but there was substantial attrition rate over 6 months. Further enhancements are needed to ensure long-term patient adherence to portable technologies and optimal digital data transfer to clinicians caring for PD patients.
Keywords: Health services; Parkinson's disease; Prognostic markers.
© The Author(s) 2019.