The Princess Margaret “Transformers”

31 THE TRANSFORMERS • TECHNOLOGY ISSUE A new handheld telephone device, currently being tested in a clinical trial at The Princess Margaret, is helping patients monitor and manage their symptoms from the comfort of their own homes. Patients can enter their daily symptoms into the device, which then sends self-care advice to patients to manage the symptoms and alerts the clinical team to intervene for those who warrant an immediate response. Dr. Doris Howell Senior Scientist, is helping to adapt the technology, originally developed in Europe, for cancer care in Canada. A randomized control trial kicked off in October 2017, with 44 patients using the phone and 44 receiving standard care. “This device allows us to intervene early to reduce symptom distress, helping avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency room, and potentially improve survival. This system empowers patients in self-care of symptoms and places trustworthy information in their hands,” says Howell. THE HUMAN SIDE OF TECHNOLOGY TOUCH-SCREEN SYMPTOM MANAGER DISTRESS ASSESSMENT & RESPONSE TOOL The Distress Assessment & Response Tool (DART) combines the human aspect of care with technology. “There have been enormous advances in technology in the last several decades,” says Dr. Gary Rodin Head, Department of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. “But it’s been a challenge to integrate technology with the human side of medical care.” To change this, we have introduced DART (pg. 23), which allows patients to communicate their symptoms with the touch of a finger from home or on screens located in the Cancer Centre’s clinics. It leads to a conversation between the doctor, nurse, and patient, and opens the door to appropriate support. The data collected from thousands of participants is grouped together to identify trends. It also helps doctors learn about the side effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery by looking at the patterns of physical symptoms and the psychological distress associated with them. THE HUMAN SIDE OF TECHNOLOGY