Presented by: Jenny Guo MD
Northwestern University

Introduction

Usage of mobile health (mHealth) applications in management of urolithiasis is becoming increasingly more prevalent. We developed a comprehensive stone prevention mobile care plan that addresses the current lapses in dietary/medical adherence and misinformation to improve stone-related quality of life (QOL).

Materials

We created a care plan for kidney stone formers in partnership with GetWell Loop, an interactive mHealth application. The plan incorporates 24-hr urine collection results to provide custom recommendations regarding dietary management, fluid intake, medications for each individual patient. The main feature of the app includes check-in surveys every 3 months, which act as a refresher regarding medical management of stones and incorporate patient satisfaction, stone-related health, and Wisconsin QOL (WISQOL) questionnaires. Other features include monthly fluid and medication adherence reminders, an activity feed where patients can review custom-created stone handouts, and a secure messaging chat. Eligible patients included those over 18 years who are first-time or recurrent stone formers.

Results

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A total of 153 patients were eligible for the study, and 46 patients have been enrolled into the application thus far. Mean patient age is 55.5 years (range 24-81), and 50% were female.  Feedback received include that it is “streamlined,” “easy to use,” and “not too lengthy.” Patients report that they enjoy having access to resources at their convenience and feel that the app has helped them remain more compliant with provider recommendations. Figure 1 depicts screenshots of the check-in process.

Conclusion

We designed a novel kidney stone mHealth care plan that incorporates patient-specific data to reinforce dietary management, fluid intake, and medication adherence in chronic stone formers. Usage of this application may improve patient QOL and compliance with recommendations.

Funding

Urology Care Foundation Residency Research Award

Co-Authors

Mark Assmus, MD
University of Calgary

Nicholas Dean, MD
Northwestern University

Jessica Helon, BS
Northwestern University

Amy Krambeck, MD
Northwestern University