Can the Patient Buddy App help reduce hospital readmissions for my cirrhosis?
If you have cirrhosis, avoiding hospital readmissions is a major goal. The Patient Buddy App is a smartphone-based tool designed to help you and your caregiver manage your condition at home after discharge. A multicenter clinical trial found that using the app significantly lowered the rate of avoidable readmissions compared to standard care alone. However, the app requires active participation and monitoring, and it may not be available everywhere.
What the research says
A randomized clinical trial across three medical centers enrolled 464 cirrhosis patients along with their adult caregivers (232 patient-caregiver pairs) 19. Patients were assigned either to use the Patient Buddy App (health information technology, or HIT) or to receive standard care 19. The app focused on medication reminders, cognitive testing, and symptom tracking, and was monitored remotely by study staff 19. The results showed that avoidable readmissions were significantly lower in the app group: 10.3% versus 19.8% in the standard care group 19. This means the app roughly halved the risk of an avoidable readmission. The benefit remained even after adjusting for changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic 19. All-cause readmissions (any reason) were also lower, though the primary focus was on avoidable ones 19. A separate analysis of the same trial looked at the burden on healthcare providers. Over 30 days, 103 patient-caregiver pairs using the app sent 1,442 alerts 10. Most alerts were about hepatic encephalopathy symptoms, such as bowel movement changes (50%) or orientation test results (37%) 10. Providers reported feeling adequately trained and confident in using the app, but the alert volume highlights the need for efficient monitoring systems 10.
What to ask your doctor
- Is the Patient Buddy App available at this hospital or clinic for cirrhosis patients?
- Would I need a caregiver to use the app with me, and what would their role be?
- How would the app alerts be monitored, and who would follow up if I report a problem?
- Are there any costs or technical requirements (like a smartphone) to use the app?
- Could the app replace any of my current follow-up appointments or medications?
This question is drawn from common patient questions about Gastroenterology and answered using cited medical research. We do not provide individualized advice.