Digitally webbed ecosystem will perk up life for Ostomates: experts – World Ostomy Day October 3rd 2020. Adapting to life after a surgery brings a lot of changes to a patient’s lifestyle emotionally, physically and mentally. Modifications to the patient’s routine -post-surgery is inevitable and requires a lot of care especially when the surgery involved is with respect to cancers like colorectalor any other bowel cancer. Surgery for colorectal cancer is very often associated with ostomy surgeries. Colorectal cancer survivors undergo anatomy surgery during their treatment for the cancer, where creating an external surgical opening for waste to pass through become important.
Post an Ostomy procedure, long-term adjustments become a part of their life and survivors need to avail healthcare facilities to cope better. An upheaval in the mental well-being in such cases involves, the patient trying to overcome the stigma around the use of pouch for their waste, low self-esteem, skin inflammation, the kind of clothes to wear, worry about the odour while emptying the pouch, eating the right kind of food, and the need for social support.
Ostomy surgery patients may face some of the challenges like — lack of knowledge on conditions necessary for surgery, post-surgery protection, lack of data on various care options, unavailability of the right ostomy pouching system to ease pain – physically post-surgery. As per medical professionals, ostomy surgeries are life-saving procedures, and by using the right product for care, recuperating from such kinds of surgeries will be relatively easier for the patient. There has also been a continuous advances in the product technology such as evolution of mouldable wafers where patients can overcome problems of cut and fit wafer each time. This leads to better patient experience.
According to Dr. Sandeep Nayak, Director – Department of Surgical Oncology and Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery, Fortis Hospital- Bannerghatta, Bangalore, “Often patients find it challenging to access the right form of information on ostomy surgeries and post-surgery care. Additionally, social stigma is an obstacle that patients using stoma face. In get statistics, and also to provide knowledge to general public, a awful need is accessibility to the right platform. In such circumstance, a linked digital ecosystem to the ostomates to obtain right form of information and data is very crucial.”
As time passed, it has become tremendously vital for healthcare contributors to digitalize their services with methodical tools. Developed for better perceptive of ostomates and to meet their needs; web apps, phone apps – overlay the route for formation of webbed ecosystem. Digitalisation has made it a holistic approach, where a exceptional platform is formed to link patients with healthcare professionals.
Connecting digitally with patients of ostomy can help healthcare providers to educate them on their conditions, help manage their routine based on their lifestyle, and build a community for them. Commenting on the use of digital platforms for ostomy patients in India, Dr. Deepak Govil, Senior Consultant and Head of Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and GI Oncology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, says, “A digitally connected ecosystem is very important for ostomy patients. Apps can be helpful in giving precise knowledge to patients, providing awareness regarding ostomy. information from apps is also useful to provide improved services to patients by connecting them with stoma health care professionals and doctors without any problems. With the pandemic on, the patients may hold-up their visit to doctors, so a digital platform can improve the procedure of connectivity with healthcare services.”
It is very crucial for making life of ostomates easier by providing correct information at the right time. These areas of work are still at infancy in India. It is imperative for caregivers to raise the standard of care, elevate patient experience, enhance clinical experience, create a patient retention program and assist patients on their day to day challenges by providing assistance. Calling out to such solutions, Dr. Avanish Saklani, Associate Professor, Robotic Colorectal Surgery, TATA Memorial Center, Mumbai, mentions, “Ostomy surgery is a big step in the life of the patient. It is a situation in which the patient has to live the rest of his life. Therefore, taming the patient about use of stoma pouch is essential. In spite of being counselled by the doctors and surgeons, patients may understand and also be psychologically prepared if they chat to persons who are previously using the stoma pouch. Beside patients, the family members or attendants also need such deep counselling and peer chat. Digitization has been an momentum in terms of progression through a suite of tools to meet needs of patients- emotionally, mentally and physically.”
Digital tools are an easy to understand process. Apps by medical technology companies can help provide guidance on various processes- like process of surgery, prerequisites to surgeries, and in-depth information on respective surgeries like colostomy, ileostomy.
Constantly reinventing medical technology tools is the need of the hour. Collecting the patient data and giving constructive responses to their queries can help patient arrive at a decision for their bodies and life. Digital revolution has changed the way patients look at accessibility to relevant information related to their condition. It is imperative for them to be well informed and aware about their situations and manage their life.
