Calpro home test kit

The stool sample must be analysed no later than seven days after, but since the sample can take up to seven days to arrive by post, this has meant that patients have had strict deadlines for sending it. According to the patients, this has created uncomfortable situations, as it has required planning to get the sample to the hospital before a weekend or on a Monday, and it can be difficult to time a bowel movement in such a situation.

AIM

Home measurement of the inflammation marker calprotectin in faeces for patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease has previously been investigated in a larger clinical study in 2010 and has been shown to improve patients’ well-being in several areas. The purpose of this project was to test whether home measurement would work for patients at the Department of Gastroenterology at Odense University Hospital. The measurements had to be made via POCT equipment called “Calpro home test kit” and then registered in the patient app My Hospital.

The idea was that patients could comfortably take measurements in their own home by use of the equipment, and the hospital staff would have the opportunity to read the measurements via a link directly in the electronic patient record. This changed procedure should save the patients transport to the hospital and hopefully alleviate the discomfort that can be experienced when handing in a stool sample at the post office.

EVALUATION

Overall, patients were positive concerning the possibilities and flexibility of the Calpro home test kit. However, the home test turned out to present some challenges for the patients. Some experienced technical problems, while others had difficulty finding their way around the provided information material. Some of the patients felt that they were left alone with the confusion or worry that reading the test results could bring, while others found it practically challenging to perform the test, which takes 17-18 minutes, in a busy home with children.

It also created new challenges for the hospital staff, who had to familiarise themselves with the new technology and define new workflows to handle patients’ inquiries about the technology and their measurements.

The project was carried out at the Department of Gastroenterology, where it was subsequently believed that the home solution could be used for patients who wanted to monitor the condition themselves. There was also support for getting the staff to use the home test kit at the hospital, so that the patient could come in with a sample and quickly get an answer without having to deal with the responsibility and feelings of worry themselves.

This project was part of the large research and innovation project Digital Vision at the Department of Gastroenterology. Read more about Digital Vision.

PARTNERS

The project was carried out at the Department of Gastroenterology at Odense University Hospital.

EXTERNAL FUNDING

The project received 75,000 DKK from OUH’s Innovation Fund as part of the Digital Vision project, as well as 100,000 DKK from the Beckett Foundation.