“We felt there had to be a quicker and easier way to communicate, so now, by using the Smart CP (chronic pancreatitis) app, patients can report their symptoms daily,” according to Marie Egan,  Advanced Nurse Practitioner specialising in adrenal and pancreas diseases, Tallaght University Hospital (TUH).

Marie recently played a key role in the development of a new digital platform entitled SMART CP (chronic pancreatitis). Developed in partnership with the Irish start-up company My Patient Space, the new app empowers patients with chronic pancreatitis to take control of their condition by facilitating ongoing and seamless communication with their hospital team. Patients can use the app to monitor and report their symptoms daily, and if their health begins to worsen the app immediately triggers an alert to inform the hospital.

Marie and the team behind the new Smart CP app were recent winners of the 2024 HealthTech Innovation of the Year award, at the Public Sector Digital Transformation Awards.

According to Marie, the original idea for the app came during COVID, when they were spending “endless hours on the phone trying to contact patients remotely. The app itself will escalate any concerns reported, particularly if a patient’s health begins to worsen. Red alerts are created and I am informed if patients input symptoms that are suggestive of a new presentation of diabetes or pancreatic cancer.”

Patients can also use the app to message Marie directly with concerns or queries, and they will receive a reply from her via SmartCP. In addition, the app contains a lot of CP-specific education in the form of text, graphics and videos from the hospital team. It also signposts TUH-area community resources, including useful information on the Tallaght Healthy Communities Programme.

Marie explains that “the primary motivation for me was to try and improve patient care."

"Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a complex, progressive condition where pancreatic tissue is permanently damaged due to repeated inflammation. There is no cure, and management focuses on dealing with symptoms and complications as they arise. Patients with CP suffer from debilitating gastrointestinal symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting. As the disease progresses, patients may develop type 3c (pancreatogenic) diabetes, osteoporosis and nutrient deficiency.”

Sometimes patients with pancreatitis become ill and require hospital care. Marie hopes this app will allow her and the team to identify these patients much earlier to help them avoid a presentation at the Emergency Department: “If patients do need hospital care we are lucky in TUH that they can be directly admitted to the Acute Surgical Assessment Unit for review.”

Planning ahead, Marie also outlines how “Patient Initiation Review (PIR) is our next project through the SMART CP app. This – to the best of our knowledge - will be the first digitalisation of the process of PIR."

"It will enable patients to schedule their own follow-up appointments on an ‘as needed’ basis. This patient-centred approach differs significantly from the traditional physician-driven model where patients are offered review appointments at routine intervals at outpatient clinics. Often, these pre-booked appointments occur at a time when the patient’s condition is relatively stable and little action is needed. Conversely, if a patient experiences sudden exacerbation of symptoms, urgent outpatient appointments may not be available, as outpatient capacity is reduced due to unnecessary follow-up appointments.”

Marie believes strongly that against the backdrop of a steadily increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in Ireland and an ageing population, “it is imperative to transform and modernise our healthcare system to ensure timely and efficient care for all.” The development of the new Smart CP app was funded by the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure.