Hello all,
The first mobile app for the OCF is currently underway and we would like to ask for your input to make sure that it has all of the tools and support that a patient and caregiver needs. Below you will find a brief description of the current functions of the app. Please take a look at the current list and then let us know if there are other features or tools that you would like to see. There may not be room for all suggestions in this first version, but they will all be filed away for future versions.

I hope that you find this mobile app useful, I look forward to hearing your ideas.

This app will have many of the features of the OCF website that survivors and caregivers currently use, but in mobile format. This app will be tied directly to the OCF website and users will be able to log in or new users will be able to make an account. Instead of trying to emulate every piece of the OCF website this app will be geared more towards tools, info, and support for patients, caregivers, and survivors.

What the app will include- from OCF website--

Survivor Patient Forum- This will allow you to access the patient/survivor forum from the mobile app.

Events
Oral Cancer News
Diagnosis
Treatment

There will also be a several tools for patients and caregivers as well.

Medications tracker - This will allow you to enter in all medications that the patient is taking and set alarms to notify you of upcoming doses. This information will be logged for easy reference for appts.

Nutrition and Water Intake Tracker- allows users to input descriptions, volumes, times and nutritional information. This information will be logged for easy tracking of nutritional information.

Talk for Me - specifically designed for the Oral cancer patient that will meet the speaking needs immediately after surgery and during rough phases of treatment. It will allow users to select simple phrases or choose their current pain level from the standard pain scale. These messages can either be played aloud or sent to their caregiver, via text message.

Notes- Users can quickly write down questions for their treatment team or to remember an important note.

Contacts- A place to store contact information related to your care


We appreciate all your support and look forward to hearing all your great ideas. I also want to give a special thanks to Brian, Chester, Jaime and Eric who are all working hard to help bring this great tool to you soon!

Erik Bradstreet

Will it have a way to be able to use the search function? How about the PM feature?

Thank you Christine. The goal is to have as much functionality that you currently use. I appreciate your input.

Erik

Will it have a link to my picture?

Hadn't thought of that, but thanks for the suggestion,

Yes David we will showcase you there, but I haven't decided what we will say under your picture� I think EricS will have some interesting suggestions.

We are going more for daily functionality that you might use on a phone or pad. Daily nutrition /calorie intake tracker, daily meds tracker, contact list for all those you need to connect with while in treatment from doctors to insurance people, a calendar function for all your treatment scan and follow up appointments.

This app is not going to be designed as a substitute for the web site, nor a duplication of it. It is to help patients with utilities that will keep them on track during a difficult journey. This is more of a group of tools vs. an interface to information on the site.

This is really, really awesome � having all that important info as close as your phone when going to appointments or anyplace else that requires updated info. How about a link to:

1) OCF Project: �Oral Cancer - - Getting through it Together� Is that still around? I have it on my iPhone home screen� (good reading for anyone having to wait in the Rad Waiting room or anyplace else).
2) OCF Store
3) Amazon link thru OCF
4) List of upcoming Awareness events with calendar
5) Pics of founder and administrators

I love this idea! I wish this was around when my mom was going through surgery and treatments. It sounds like a great way to keep all your information stored in one easy to access place!

This is an EXCELLENT idea!!! I need to upgrade my old clunker of a cell phone and get something hi-tech so I can do 'aps'.

I can't wait! I don't have a cell with apps, mine is just a trac phone, but I have an iPad that I use so much more than my computer. It will be great if OCF has an app.

will it be for multiple platforms such as the anDroid?

the first version will be for the iOS. when that is in place we will issue an android version which will happen faster given the ground work already done for the Apple platform.

As you put up your suggestions, remember that good aps are TOOLS, or utilities. They are trimmed down to the meat of getting something you need to accomplish done, or tracking something.

Excellent idea. I could have really used this the 12 days I was in the hospital after the recurrence.
Brian's point on practicality bears repeating. On my IPad, the best apps are those that are lean not overbloated.
Apple's app store is the gold standard so starting with iOS makes sense IMO. (bias disclosure: I have a first generation Ipad) .
My suggestion is to have a checklist for patients that covers some basics that get overlooked even though recommended such as pre TX thryoid level blood test as well as the basics
flouride trays, dental check, PEG discussion, weight parameters, pain medications etc.
Charm

This will be such a great help for people, thank you all who have a hand in getting this going!

Great idea...anything to replace that clunker of a notebook I took everywhere during Bill's diagnosis, treatment and followup checks. Just having dates, doses, and contact information in one place would be great.

I will await the android version with patience.

Deb

The PEG discussion as Charm suggests would have been so helpful when my son was first diagnosed. All his doctors said was that "he might have to use one" which horrified us without even knowing the pros and cons which were never presented to us by the cancer team.

As far as "tools", I wonder if there would be room for a list of financial aid suggestions. I remember seeing Christine's link to several good suggestions for those struggling financially. Just knowing where to go for help would relieve a lot of anxiety for survivors and CGs. There was a drug company that forgave my son's bill because of his financial need. This app is going to be such a wonderful thing for the survivors and their CGs!

Thanks, Ann Marie. We really do want this to be THE tool for patients and caregivers, including information like financial or a "what to do when diagnosed" type of checklist. The reason to go iOS first is also that it gives us a chance to perfect the app on one platform without having to fund multiple changes to both iOS and Droid at the same time. While a slight bummer for Android users for a short time, they will most likely be getting a more full featured app.

Thanks for all the ideas, keep them coming.
Erik

I asked my son for any suggestions he might have and he said -
<<I think it would be good if the contacts section had something specific for holding emergency treatment info and insurance information.>>

I remember a particularly disturbing episode, when I thought Paul would be ok for the nite and went home to sleep. During the night, he had a bad reaction to some meds and his throat swelled up to the point where he could not breathe. He managed to call my daughter (a police officer) who recognized his choking sounds and came and took him to the emergency room. They gave him Benedryl and swelling went down. I wish we had been more aware of what to do for reactions like this.

Great big "thank you" to all of you working on this.

Hey everyone,
I wanted to give an update on the OCF mobile app. Things are moving along well and hopefully I will have some sneak peak screen shots to wet your appetite until the apps release. Please continue to forward us your comments and suggestions so that we have plenty of ideas for future versions of the app.
Thanks,
Erik

Thanks for the update. . . I was just wondering how it was coming along. Glad to hear we'll be getting some sneak peaks.