Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MyPath (Developing and implementing innovative Patient-Centred Care Pathways for cancer patients)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2023-09-01 do 2025-02-28
Every year in Europe, over 3.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer, and about 1.9 million die from it.
A key question is: Are patients with cancer receiving the best possible care? This can be viewed from two perspectives: biomedical anticancer therapy and the patient-centred approach, which addresses psychological, physical, and social needs. MyPath focuses on helping patients live better through patient-centred care (PCC), treating each person as an individual and giving them a voice to express what matters to them. Patients share their symptoms, needs, and preferences (ePROMs and ePREMs) via a digital platform accessible to healthcare teams in real time. This supports personalised care and shared decision-making, resulting in tailored treatment plans that keep both patients and providers aligned on next steps.
The MyPath project consists of three phases:
Phase 1 (Years 1–2) focuses on developing the scientific content and digital solution, and preparing the nine European cancer centres for adoption in routine outpatient oncology practice. This includes scoping each site’s organisational structures and PCC-related competencies to support integration into daily care. Assessments and care pathways are developed based on evidence from guidelines, studies, and literature. Development is led by international experts, with input from ICT specialists, designers, and programmers. Co-creation and testing ensure the content and interface meet stakeholder needs, with feedback informing ongoing refinements. The software is now being securely installed and will be integrated into existing EMRs or made easily accessible.
Phase 2 (Years 3–4) involves preparing for and conducting the implementation study to test whether the MyPath solution can be used as intended across the nine cancer centres. The solution and its content will be continuously assessed and improved throughout this phase.
Phase 3 (Year 5) will focus on concluding the project and providing recommendations on how PCC can be improved at local, national, and international levels. Final guidance will also be developed on implementation and strategies to avoid common pitfalls.
A key question is: Are patients with cancer receiving the best possible care? This can be viewed from two perspectives: biomedical anticancer therapy and the patient-centred approach, which addresses psychological, physical, and social needs. MyPath focuses on helping patients live better through patient-centred care (PCC), treating each person as an individual and giving them a voice to express what matters to them. Patients share their symptoms, needs, and preferences (ePROMs and ePREMs) via a digital platform accessible to healthcare teams in real time. This supports personalised care and shared decision-making, resulting in tailored treatment plans that keep both patients and providers aligned on next steps.
The MyPath project consists of three phases:
Phase 1 (Years 1–2) focuses on developing the scientific content and digital solution, and preparing the nine European cancer centres for adoption in routine outpatient oncology practice. This includes scoping each site’s organisational structures and PCC-related competencies to support integration into daily care. Assessments and care pathways are developed based on evidence from guidelines, studies, and literature. Development is led by international experts, with input from ICT specialists, designers, and programmers. Co-creation and testing ensure the content and interface meet stakeholder needs, with feedback informing ongoing refinements. The software is now being securely installed and will be integrated into existing EMRs or made easily accessible.
Phase 2 (Years 3–4) involves preparing for and conducting the implementation study to test whether the MyPath solution can be used as intended across the nine cancer centres. The solution and its content will be continuously assessed and improved throughout this phase.
Phase 3 (Year 5) will focus on concluding the project and providing recommendations on how PCC can be improved at local, national, and international levels. Final guidance will also be developed on implementation and strategies to avoid common pitfalls.
During the first years of the project, the content, healthcare organisation, working behaviour, and structure of the digital MyPath solution have been developed iteratively by experts: clinicians, social and implementation scientists, ICT experts, patients, and families.
All aspects of using MyPath in clinical practice have been analysed to optimise development and implementation, including onboarding processes, patient use of ePROMs, and clinical consultations.
To validate the structural elements, we used pain, nutrition, and emotional/social distress as demonstration symptoms and functions. Expert groups were established and involved in the development process alongside other stakeholders. A demo version of the digital solution was developed, and feedback was gathered from all clinical sites and external stakeholders. The content of the ePROMs and digital support for clinical consultations underwent co-creation and testing sessions. Insights into patient flow and PCC practices were collected through interviews, observations, and workshops. These activities informed the digital architecture, clinical workflows, and scientific content of the first MyPath version, which will be implemented and refined through continuous feedback and iterations.
Key clinicians treating the selected patient cohorts at each site have been identified, and preparatory activities carried out to ensure necessary workflow adjustments and readiness for implementation. A mapping of ICT infrastructure at each centre has been completed to identify the best path for introducing the digital solution. This involved close collaboration between site management, clinicians, researchers, DNV Imatis, and local ICT departments.
The protocol for the implementation study has been finalised. An implementation tutorial is being developed, covering three dimensions (technological, clinical, and research-related) and will be shared with all nine centres. It will outline, step by step, the requirements each site must meet to implement MyPath and include training materials for healthcare providers and patients to support usability and understanding. A staggered roll-out is planned, with the first site going live in May 2025.
All aspects of using MyPath in clinical practice have been analysed to optimise development and implementation, including onboarding processes, patient use of ePROMs, and clinical consultations.
To validate the structural elements, we used pain, nutrition, and emotional/social distress as demonstration symptoms and functions. Expert groups were established and involved in the development process alongside other stakeholders. A demo version of the digital solution was developed, and feedback was gathered from all clinical sites and external stakeholders. The content of the ePROMs and digital support for clinical consultations underwent co-creation and testing sessions. Insights into patient flow and PCC practices were collected through interviews, observations, and workshops. These activities informed the digital architecture, clinical workflows, and scientific content of the first MyPath version, which will be implemented and refined through continuous feedback and iterations.
Key clinicians treating the selected patient cohorts at each site have been identified, and preparatory activities carried out to ensure necessary workflow adjustments and readiness for implementation. A mapping of ICT infrastructure at each centre has been completed to identify the best path for introducing the digital solution. This involved close collaboration between site management, clinicians, researchers, DNV Imatis, and local ICT departments.
The protocol for the implementation study has been finalised. An implementation tutorial is being developed, covering three dimensions (technological, clinical, and research-related) and will be shared with all nine centres. It will outline, step by step, the requirements each site must meet to implement MyPath and include training materials for healthcare providers and patients to support usability and understanding. A staggered roll-out is planned, with the first site going live in May 2025.
In MyPath, we are developing a digital solution to support patient-centred care across all cancer patient cohorts, regardless of treatment intention. Patients receiving curative, life-prolonging, or palliative treatment will all be users of MyPath. The novelty of the solution is that it is more than a “free-standing app” for collecting the patient voice (PROMs). It is a comprehensive solution including symptom and function assessment, shared decision-making and classification, and individualized treatment plans based on these classifications.
A central element is the MyPath methodology for change management — a structured approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organisations to a desired state, involving preparation, support, and assistance to adopt change. Successful implementation in routine care requires harmonization between clinical practice and the digital product, continuous testing, local adaptation, and appropriate staff training. Through co-creation activities, we ensure the solution fits the needs of patients, families, and healthcare providers.
The digital MyPath solution aims to integrate with EMRs at each site. Close collaboration between our ICT partner and local ICT departments addresses technical barriers. Involvement at all organisational levels (top leadership, clinical leaders, patient organisations) is crucial and has already proven essential in preventing barriers to adoption.
An implementation tutorial is being prepared to guide the go-live at the nine MyPath centres. It will also serve as a long-term tool for implementation beyond the consortium. The pathways and their components can be used in full or as separate modules to support patient-centred care and integrate evidence-based information into clinical practice.
A central element is the MyPath methodology for change management — a structured approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organisations to a desired state, involving preparation, support, and assistance to adopt change. Successful implementation in routine care requires harmonization between clinical practice and the digital product, continuous testing, local adaptation, and appropriate staff training. Through co-creation activities, we ensure the solution fits the needs of patients, families, and healthcare providers.
The digital MyPath solution aims to integrate with EMRs at each site. Close collaboration between our ICT partner and local ICT departments addresses technical barriers. Involvement at all organisational levels (top leadership, clinical leaders, patient organisations) is crucial and has already proven essential in preventing barriers to adoption.
An implementation tutorial is being prepared to guide the go-live at the nine MyPath centres. It will also serve as a long-term tool for implementation beyond the consortium. The pathways and their components can be used in full or as separate modules to support patient-centred care and integrate evidence-based information into clinical practice.