Oncologists and Digital Health: A Win-Win for Patient Care
Monisola Jayeoba, a PhD student in the Technology and Social Behavior Program at Northwestern University, recently published a significant paper in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. The article, titled "Low-Burden Electronic Health Record Strategies for Engaging Oncologists in Digital Health Behavior Change Interventions," delves into how oncologists prefer to be involved when their patients participate in digital health behavior change interventions.
The Oncologist's Role in Patient Engagement
In their research, Jayeoba and her team explored the perspectives of oncologists, who expressed a clear interest in and desire for engaging with digital health interventions. Oncologists indicated a strong preference for referring patients to suitable health behavior change interventions and for providing longitudinal reinforcement to patients once they are enrolled, helping them achieve their health goals.
To facilitate this engagement, oncologists showed a clear preference for low-burden electronic health record (EHR) integrated tools. These tools would provide timely updates on patient enrollment and progress, minimizing disruption to their already demanding schedules. They also requested tailored "conversation aids" to help standardize discussions with their patients about these interventions. Furthermore, oncologists emphasized the need for automated recommendation systems to identify and refer eligible patients to suitable interventions. They also highlighted the importance of reminder systems to prompt timely discussions with their patients, ensuring consistent support and follow-up.
Automating Support and Reminders
The decision to submit this research to JMIR Publications was deliberate. JMIR offers a high-impact, open-access platform specializing in digital health and medical informatics. This ensures that the research reaches a global audience of both clinicians and researchers, maximizing its potential impact on patient care and digital health innovation.
For a deeper understanding of these findings and the specific strategies discussed, readers are encouraged to explore the full published article: "Low-Burden Electronic Health Record Strategies for Engaging Oncologists in Digital Health Behavior Change Interventions" in the Journal of Medical Internet Research and watch the full video on YouTube.
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