Guy’s and St Thomas’ pharmacist develops app for medication questions

A team from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has developed an app which provides patients with answers to common medication questions.

MedTap provides answers to questions such as when and how to take pills, what to do about side effects, how to re-order more pills and the cost. In addition, users can record their medicines, appointments and test results to help improve self-management of their care.

The app, which is aimed at those with long-term conditions, also allows users to watch videos on topics such as heart attacks and atrial fibrillation and ‘favourite’ the most useful ones.

Gayle Campbell, senior cardiovascular pharmacist at Guy’s and St Thomas’, led on the development with the support of the cardiovascular pharmacy team.

She said: “Understandably, people can forget what NHS clinicians tell them about their medications during a clinic visit.

“They may be given a lot of information about side effects, how and when they should take their pills all at once.

“We developed this app to give patients that information at their fingertips. Patients and their families can access the specific information they need whenever they need it. It’s like having a recorded version of their consultation available 24 hours a day.”

The app was developed following a successful Dragon’s Den style competition for funding from the trust’s cardiovascular research fund, with additional funding provided by the pharmacy special purpose fund.

It was originally pitched as an app of patient videos on the use of anti-coagulants in atrial fibrillation, but the idea was expanded during development.

The team intends to add other modules in future releases.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust announced in August 2019 that Beverley Bryant is set to take a board position as chief digital information officer for both trusts.

The trust is also in the middle of tendering for a new electronic health record in a deal worth £175million.

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