Evaluation of a Connected Interface to Improve the Quality of Life and the Disability of Patient With Rheumatic Diseases

Overview

Musculoskeletal pathologies constitute a major public health problem. Rheumatologists, whether they practice in private or hospital settings, play a major role in the management of responsible for these ailments. Due to the increase in life expectancy, an increase in the number of consultations can be expected. It is therefore imperative that the latter be more efficient, without losing quality. Communication between doctor and patient is bound to evolve due to the multiplicity of IT tools available and those that are emerging, which are increasingly essential, including many smartphone applications. Each targeting a specific pathology (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis osteoarthritis, they will allow the patient to self-assess, thus becoming an actor in his own care. A "facilitated" exchange between caregivers and patients would be relevant and would provide added value for all. This is the reason why there is a real need for an application listing precise information on the patient, in a sufficiently succinct way to optimize their transmission to the physiotherapist.

Musculoskeletal pathologies constitute a major public health problem. Rheumatologists, whether they practice in private or hospital settings, play a major role in the management of responsible for these ailments. Due to the increase in life expectancy, an increase in the number of consultations can be expected. It is therefore imperative that the latter be more efficient, without losing quality. Communication between doctor and patient is bound to evolve due to the multiplicity of IT tools available and those that are emerging, which are increasingly essential, including many smartphone applications. Each targeting a specific pathology (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis osteoarthritis, they will allow the patient to self-assess, thus becoming an actor in his own care. A "facilitated" exchange between caregivers and patients would be relevant and would provide added value for all. This is the reason why there is a real need for an application listing precise information on the patient, in a sufficiently succinct way to optimize their transmission to the physiotherapist. Our team has recently highlighted that monitoring rheumatoid arthritis in connected mode (smartphone + online interface for the physician + distancing interaction patient / caregiver) provided a benefit in terms of quality of life as well as on the medico-economics level compared to conventional monitoring, without affecting the control of rheumatoid arthritis activity. Telemedicine is positioned more than ever as an essential instrument for organizing the longitudinal monitoring of diseases, especially in a context of confinement, which implies limited access to physiotherapy sessions, even though these are essential for optimizing the management of many osteoarticular disorders. By promoting the use of a digital telemedicine tool in the follow-up of patients suffering from rheumatological pathologies in both private practice and hospitals, the Rhumato-App project aims to develop an ergonomic offline/online platform for patients/healthcare providers (e.g. rheumatologist, general practitioner, physiotherapist), accessible from a computer or a smartphone. This platform will improve the articulation of the patient's care pathway by feeding a secure medical file shared between caregivers.