Background: Increasing demand for healthcare services necessitates exploring innovative digital solutions to enhance patient care. SALASO is a digital therapy platform that enables healthcare providers to curate and deliver remote therapy. SCOPe Head and Neck Cancer service was awarded HSE seedling funding to implement virtual therapy using this platform. This initiative aims to trial the platform to improve patient outcomes.
Methods: A phased rollout included: stakeholder meetings with SALASO, development and refinement of digital therapy resources sandbox testing with patients and staff, staff training, patient onboarding, and fortnightly review meetings.
Results: Preliminary findings indicate:
• Benefits: Enhanced patient care and autonomy with access to reliable information, standardised workflows, and improved accessibility.
• Challenges: Integration issues with existing systems, staffing limitations, and digital literacy barriers.
• Current Status: 26 patients onboarded, with ongoing refinement of resources and workflow.
Conclusion:
Early findings highlight improved patient care pathways, workflow efficiencies, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Challenges persist in system integration, digital literacy, and resource allocation. Future steps include continued evaluation, expanded patient engagement, additional resource development, and integration into healthcare infrastructure to ensure long-term success of digital health in multidisciplinary HNC care in SJH.
Title: Rollout of the SALASO Digital Therapy Platform in a Multidisciplinary Head & Neck Cancer Team at St. James’s Hospital (SJH), Dublin: A Pilot Project
Authors: A. Enright, A. Gorham, A. McCarron, C. Mulgrew, D. Leavy, G. Kennedy, J McAnulty, M. Merrick, M. Savage, R. Dunne, R. Mc Donnell, S. Brady, S. Cashman, S. McManus, Y. Lydon
Publication: Journal of The Irish Head and Neck Society - 2025 Issue: 3 Volume: 3
Published: February, 2025 View PDF