A new smartphone app designed to help cancer patients along their journey by tracking the appointments with their care team is now available for download.
The My Care Conversations app, developed through a partnership between the Alberta Health Services and Alberta Cancer Foundation, has the ability to record conversations that patients have with their care team that helps them process and remember what was discussed.
“Recordings can then be shared with their trusted family and friends or another member of their care team. This way, it can help communicate information and reduce miscommunication,” says Mauro Chies, vice president of CancerControl Alberta and Clinical Support Services.
Outside of simply recording the appointments, officials say it also allows patients to take notes during the recording that can be edited and reviewed at any time.
Leigh-Ann Palter, chair of the Alberta Cancer Foundation, says she knows how difficult it is for Albertans to receive the news that they have cancer.
“The My Care Conversations App has the ability to allow patients to be completely present and engaged at their health care consultations and empowering them to be actively engaged throughout their cancer care journey and help them to lessen the stressors of a cancer diagnosis.”
The app has also been able to help a number of patients already, like Cliff Robertson, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer in late August.
“We were introduced to the app during our very first consult and we discussed it and my wife and I thought it was an awesome idea.”
He says it has been an invaluable tool because it’s not possible to take everything in during a medical consultation.
“To have that on tape, it was awesome because we were able to go back after the initial interview and listen to it and we get things out of it.”
The My Care Conversations app is available for download for Apple and Android devices. For more information on how to acquire it, you can go to the AHS website.
