The Epilepsy Self Monitor (EpSMon) app - a world first - has been developed by a team of partners, including clinicians, patients and health technology information experts, at Plymouth University; Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and SUDEP Action.
s them to see their doctor when their risks increase and suggests simple ways they can lower their risks.
about seizures and their well-being.
The app analyses the answers and creates advice ranging from 'all clear, no further action required' to 'make an appointment with your doctor now.' The app analysis can be shown to a GP to help them decide the best treatment regime for their patient going forward and helps facilitate meaningful person centred communication of key risk issues.
In a similar way to a person with hypertension using a domestic blood pressure device, someone with epilepsy can use the EpsMon App to check they have a planned review of their epilepsy in the future or go earlier if they are reporting a worsening of risk factors.
EpSMon is based on evidence from the SUDEP and Seizure Safety Check List, a facility that enables clinicians to monitor changes in risk factors in their patients. It was developed by researchers, GPs, people with epilepsy and the Coroner in Cornwall. The study was funded by Kt's Fund, a charity set up in memory of Katie Hallet, a young nurse who died suddenly aged 20 from epilepsy.
The development team included RCHT's Dr Brendon McLean - Consultant Neurologist, and Mary Parratt - Epilepsy Specialist Nurse, working together with others including Dr Rohit Shankar, Consultant in Adult Developmental Neuropsychiatry at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
EpsMon has been launched on iPhone with an Android version expected later this Summer.