Exco InTouch achieves a new first in mobile clinical technology

Exco InTouch has announced a new first in the clinical technology arena.

Having pioneered the use of mobile technology, increasing retention and compliance through engaging and supporting patients, and facilitating the delivery of ePRO via mobile devices, the forward-looking company is now the only electronic Clinical Outcomes Assessment (eCOA) provider to have published public-facing apps on all three mobile operating platforms - iOS, Android and Windows8.

Dale Jessop, chief technology officer at Exco InTouch, said: “We’re thrilled to have reached this milestone, and even more so having used native apps, as this provides the user with device specific natural controls - driving familiarity and ease of use.

“Currently the most-common approach is to use HTML5, which wraps a web app into mobile operating controls. However, this does not enable the layout to be optimised for the device in use, or incorporate natural button configurations and so does not present the best experience for patients. In contrast, our pedigree in developing mobile solutions for clinical and healthcare programs has enabled us to deliver the benefits of native apps in a timely, cost-effective manner across all platforms.”

The variety of apps developed for clients by Exco InTouch covers a broad range of therapeutic areas; from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases through to smoking cessation and vaccination programs, utilising its flexible platform which adapts to individual programme needs. The platform enables the integration of medical device data and also lifestyle devices, such as FitBit, which are increasingly popular in clinical research to provide secondary outcomes data.

The company’s leading approach enables its clients to select their preferred delivery model, offering the flexibility to either provision appropriate devices for the study population, or more significantly to enable Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in both clinical and commercial programmes. This is enabled by proprietary mDNA technology, which provides sponsors and payers the robust reassurance of protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and maintaining data security even when using the patients’ own devices.

Tim Davis, chief executive and founder of Exco InTouch, said: “We are leading the way in delivering native apps across all three mobile operating platforms, which not only is an achievement for our company, but also another great milestone for the entire clinical industry. There is huge demand in the industry for eCOA providers to deliver user-friendly solutions that the patient finds easy to use and accessible. A clinical trial is reliant on timely engagement from its patients and we are delighted to be foremost in improving patients’ user experience.”