MyPath’s first focus group workshop
On September 20, 2023, an important event unfolded in Brussels, Belgium, as experts from 14 European ESMO Designated Centres gathered at the University Foundation for the inaugural workshop organised by MyPath.
This workshop, a collaboration between ESMO and partners, Oslo University Hospital, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and DNV Imatis, marked a significant milestone in the MyPath project.
The workshop was attended by 21 expert clinicians, representing 14 ESMO Designated Centres specialising in integrated oncology and palliative care. The primary objective of this workshop was to ensure that the MyPath solution, with its focus on new digital patient-centered care pathways (dPCCPs from now on), would meet the needs of key stakeholders, including healthcare providers, patients, and policymakers.
Key Highlights from the Workshop:
Plenary session
The day began with informative plenary sessions that introduced the MyPath project’s goals and showcased the current platform features. This set the stage for the subsequent focus groups.
Focus groups
Clinicians were divided into three focus groups, combining diverse expertise and geographical backgrounds. These groups engaged in discussions about their centers’ experiences with dPCCPs and shared their thoughts on the MyPath prototype. Structured questions effectively guided the discussions, with clinicians offering valuable insights into their experiences with dPCCPs, highlighting strengths, and addressing challenges.
Feedback
The insights from the focus group discussions were recorded for later analysis. Some key themes emerged from the workshop, indicating that the MyPath system could be a valuable tool for recording Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), especially as more complex symptoms and care pathways are integrated into the platform. Clinicians praised the user-friendly graphical interface, which promises to enhance the experience for both patients and healthcare professionals.
Several participating centres expressed their support for the project and their interest in continued involvement, particularly in testing the platform. A crucial topic of discussion revolved around the potential challenges of introducing the MyPath tool in a competitive market already populated by similar platforms and service providers within hospitals and cancer centres.
Positive outlook
The workshop concluded on an extremely positive note, with the centres expressing a willingness to maintain a constructive dialogue and stay involved with the MyPath project as it progresses.
The MyPath consortium extends its heartfelt gratitude to all workshop participants for sharing their valuable insights and feedback.
Stay informed
If you wish to remain up to date with future workshops and other MyPath developments, be sure to follow MyPath on Twitter and LinkedIn.
This first MyPath focus group workshop in Brussels represents a promising step forward in the quest to enhance cancer care through innovative digital solutions. The engagement and support signal a bright future for the project.
MyPath is funded by the European Union (grant no. 101057514) and supported by Innovate UK and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
List of participants from the ESMO Designated Centres of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care
University Medical Center Groningen Palliative Care Unit – Universitätsklinikum Krems Maria Sklodowska Curie Memorial Cancer Centre and Institute of Oncology (MSCNRIO) The Complex Oncology Center (COC) Palliativmedizinisches Zentrum der Charité Institut Catala d’Oncologia National Koranyi Institue of Pulmonology Institute of Oncology Ljubljana Siunsote Oncology and Palliative Care Center Gustave Roussy Institute of Oncology Department of Oncology, Gødstrup Hospital OncoHelp Association – OncoHelp Oncology Center The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust Hospital Lusíadas Lisboa Center of Oncology and Palliative Care Unit