New Epilepsy Self-Monitoring App receives great reviews

Our new Epilepsy Self-Monitoring App for people with epilepsy has received great reviews since its launch in July. The App helps people with epilepsy keep track of their condition. EpSMon was listed in a summary of prize winning apps in the article ‘Winning smart technology with a social purpose’ by Anna Bawden in The Guardian.

The App also received a great review in the Nursing Standard: “what makes this App particulary useful is that it prompts the user to complete an assessment tool every three months to evaluate any changes in their condition. The information can then be shown to their user’s health professional at their next appointment.” Joe Somerville, learning disability nursing student, Edinburgh Napier University.

The app has been welcomed by people with Epilepsy:

“I really just cannot say how fantastic it is.  I really think it is amazing because it prompts you to just check things that you might not think of.  You might forget.  And it helps you just keep a record and it makes you feel quite empowered I would say because it is a condition that affects your confidence, and it is just so good to do something active about it yourself, rather than relying on appointments with specialists that know all these things about neurology that you don’t really understand necessarily but you have to just understand in some way.” Jane South, London

“Epilepsy is about managing risk and the new safety app, EpSMon, is another step forward per se. It brings life-saving knowledge to the fingertips of people with epilepsy by allowing them to assess their risk every three months so they can discuss them with their doctor if they worsen. The benefit in helping your healthcare professional keep up to speed with your condition is essential for the management of one’s epilepsy.” Stephen Matthews, Wales.

EpSMon has also been welcomed by health professionals who commented:

“This is something that I think puts some control back in patients’ hands - I believe patients do best when they are motivated and empowered. The best clinics allow people to make informed decisions about managing their condition. By informing users, this device encourages patients, carers, and families to regularly consider ways of improving outcomes and thereby improve safety.” Dr John-Paul Leach, Consultant Neurologist, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow

“I think this will be the best thing that has happened for patients and families for a while” Dr Brendan McLean, consultant neurologist (Cornwall Royal Hospital)

“Consultations with Health Care Professionals are relatively short and precious. Patients often feel under pressure to remember and recount a lot of information, we know poor memory and recall can be an issue for people with epilepsy. EpsMon alleviates the stress allowing patients to monitor their risks at their own pace in their own time, allowing for a more productive two way consultation. EpsMon should be commissioned by CCGs, certainly something I will be advocating for.”  Juliet Ashton, Sapphire Nurse Consultant, Epilepsy Commissioning, Epilepsy Society

"People with epilepsy are often not accurately informed about the risks of epilepsy, in particular Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy. This device not only informs people about those risks but also gives information about how to modify them, so empowering patients and carers. Moreover, it provides an invaluable summary for GPs and hospital specialists involved in their care." Professor Matthew Walker, University College, London

“Epsmon is a great, easy to use tool to support patients in not only monitoring the risk factors affecting their epilepsy but explaining the reasons why certain lifestyle events could impact on their epilepsy. It will help inform both patients and clinicians in targeting support to deliver the most benefit to individuals with epilepsy.”  Dr Tamsyn Anderson, GP Partner and Kernow CCG

EpSMon is currently available for download in the UK at www.epsmon.com for £1.49. The cost will go towards improving the App and keeping it up to date. EpSMon has been developed from the SUDEP and Seizure Checklist, a tool for clinicians to monitor their patients’ epilepsy risks. For more information visit www.sudep.org/checklist