MANTRA
Research type
Research Study
Full title
MANTRA: Mobile ANticoagulant TheRApy
IRAS ID
128047
Contact name
Jose Abdelnour-Nocera
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of West London
Research summary
MANTRA project is aimed at using mobile technology to improve the quality of life of patients with coagulation diseases and to save both patients and healthcare workers time and resources. MANTRA proposes to provide the patient with an INR self-testing device and a mobile device (an iPod) that transmits the INR result to the GP. The GP is then able to review the result and transmit back to the patients the correct dose of anticoagulant that they need to take and when they need to repeat the INR test. The goal is to provide patients with a monitoring device to be used at home to reduce the frequency of visits at the hospitals or clinics. MANTRA will focus on (a) the feasibility of using this approach in the UK, and on (b) patients acceptability of the interactive system. To meet aim (a), GPs will be interviewed about their current processes for managing patients on anti-coagulation therapy, the demographics of their patients receiving anti-coagulation, what factors would need to be considered in order to implement the digital solution and their views on its potential value. They will then be asked to participate in two further face-to-face meetings to evaluate and then test the prototype digital interface. To meet aim (b), patients currently receiving anti-coagulation therapy who volunteer to participate will be recruited from GP surgeries. They will be interviewed about their views and expectations of an interactive system for managing their therapy. In particular, we will explore patient requirements for the user interface and incorporate these into the design. They will then be asked to participate in two further face-to-face meetings to evaluate and then test the usability of the prototype user interface. The research will be qualitative, with no collection of blood samples or actual performance of INR tests.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
13/NS/0071
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jul 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion