A Concept for Improving Cross-Sector Care by a Mobile Patient Navigator App

Hip and knee joint prosthetic implants are common surgical interventions
in Switzerland, as well as in other countries. Different care providers are involved
in the care process which constitutes a potential risk of inefficiency and
communication deficits. A patient can get lost on his cross-sectoral clinical pathway,
miss appointments or underestimate the relevance of certain control visits or
examinations. To address this, we introduce a concept for a mobile application that
guides patients along the cross-sectoral clinical pathway. The information on
appointments is consistently retrieved from information systems at the care
provider's side. This facilitates the coordination of activities and appointments not
only for the patient, but also for the care providers. The aim is to promote the
patients' autonomy, to support their management of appointments, to increase the
understanding for their clinical condition and to improve their adherence to the
prescribed measures – all of which lead to an improved outcome. Another aim
is to increase patient satisfaction in terms of adequate information and quality of
treatment. The advantages and disadvantages of the concept will be discussed. goes
here.