There’s something uniquely delicate about that point in a patient’s journey – the moment they leave hospital care. The treatment might be ongoing, or just completed. They’re still vulnerable, still processing what they’ve been through, and often, still full of questions. But the daily clinical safety net isn’t there anymore. And for hospital teams, stretched already, keeping tabs on every patient beyond discharge? It’s just not feasible. Not manually, anyway.
So how do you stay connected with cancer patients after they’ve left your care… without adding to your team’s admin load?
That question has come up more and more in the past few years. And not just in theory – it’s driven real, practical innovation on the ground.
A better way to monitor symptoms
At Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, for instance, the Enhanced Supportive Care (ESC) team faced that exact challenge. The team wanted a better way to monitor cancer patients’ symptoms between appointments and give them access to support without increasing demands on the clinical team. And, well, the pandemic forced their hand a little.
They turned to a digital app solution, partnering with Silicon Practice (formerly Piota) to co-design something genuinely new to their service. Initially, it was a bit of a shift in mindset. Collecting symptom data remotely? That wasn’t how things had been done. But necessity opened the door, and the team stepped through it.
The app lets patients fill out pre-consultation symptom questionnaires (like the MSAS-SF) on their own devices. That sounds like a small thing, perhaps, but in practice it had a domino effect. It freed up valuable minutes in consultations, helped staff come in prepared, and gave patients a clearer sense that their experience (not just their diagnosis) was being heard.
Joanne Thompson, Clinical Nurse Manager at Royal Surrey, put it simply:
“It’s great to have an overview of a patient’s symptoms and how bothered they’ve been by them before a consultation. This means we can focus on what’s important to the patient, essentially, they set the agenda.”
That kind of comment sticks with you. Because it reminds us what this is really about, not just digitising for the sake of it, but refocusing care where it matters.
The results? Well, they were promising. In the real world evaluation run with Unity Insights, 100% of the patients who gave feedback on the app said they’d recommend it to others. And 100% rated it as “good” or “great.” That’s not to say every patient used the app (only 16% registered their device, and that’s worth thinking about) but those who did found real value.
Consistent communication
At the other end of the country, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust were facing something slightly different, yet equally complex: communicating consistently with cancer patients and their families across multiple hospital sites, departments and services. Information was there (somewhere) but not always at the right time, or in the right place.
Their solution? Again, digital, but in a broader, umbrella-style app system that hosts different information hubs under one roof. It wasn’t just about discharge. It was about helping patients (and carers) find the answers they needed when they needed them, about treatments, services, support groups, contacts, even emergency procedures.
Leah Morgan, Personalised Care & Cancer Improvement Facilitator at the Trust, described the thought process well:
“We wanted to make sure that information is available for people to access at the right time for them. Initially, the app was going to focus on teams within the trust and treatments, but… it’s fair to say it’s grown and had such a positive impact both within the trust and externally.”
It’s easy to forget how simple changes like this, having the right phone number or knowing which support service is local, can mean the difference between feeling lost and feeling held. Especially for someone who’s just come through cancer treatment.
What both of these case studies show, I think, is that post-discharge support doesn’t have to be a logistical burden. Done well, with the right tools, it can be an opportunity to empower patients, free up clinician time, and actually improve the quality of follow up care.
No digital tool should replace human support
Of course, apps aren’t a fix-all. Not everyone wants one, and no digital tool should replace human support where it’s needed most. But for patients who are comfortable using them, and teams ready to embrace change, they can make a real, measurable difference.
And that’s perhaps the bigger takeaway here: not just that digital tools can work, but that when co-designed with the people who use them (both patients and staff) they tend to work better.
The future of patient care apps
So where does this go next?
If I had to guess, we’re just scratching the surface. What began as a symptom checking tool or an information hub is likely to evolve into something far more integrated. Perhaps we’ll see more intelligent triaging built in. Or a future where apps adapt in real time to a patient’s responses, nudging them gently when support might be needed or looping in clinical teams only when appropriate.
There’s also something to be said about personalisation. Not just pushing notifications, but surfacing the right information at the right moment – “just in time” care guidance, not “just in case.”
And, I think, there’s a broader cultural shift quietly underway. We’re seeing a move from reactive systems to proactive care, where the patient journey isn’t something that stops at discharge. It continues, with support that’s quieter, more in the background, but always present. That’s where digital platforms really shine: not replacing clinicians, but extending their reach.
Of course, it’s not all rosy. There are questions around digital literacy, data sharing, and trust, and they’ll need answering. But when you see services like ESC and Shrewsbury & Telford making tangible progress, it’s hard not to feel quietly optimistic.
Apps alone won’t transform cancer care. But in the hands of the right teams, with the right intent, they might just help us stay closer to patients at the moments they need it most.
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FAQS: Digital discharge: supporting cancer patients beyond hospital walls - without adding to the workload
Digital apps can help cancer patients stay connected with their care team by providing symptom trackers, personalised care information, appointment reminders and access to support services. They reduce the risk of miscommunication, offer timely guidance, and allow patients to feel more in control during recovery – all without adding pressure to overstretched hospital teams.
Not at all. The best healthcare apps are designed to integrate with existing workflows. For example, in the Royal Surrey and Shrewsbury & Telford case studies, staff found the setup process simple, with minimal disruption. Many apps can be customised quickly, and features like remote symptom monitoring even help streamline consultations by reducing paperwork.
Apps are typically offered as an additional support tool, not a replacement for existing processes. Patients can still use paper questionnaires, access printed materials, or speak to staff directly. The goal is to provide choice and flexibility – not to force a one-size-fits-all approach.
Real-world evaluations have shown promising outcomes. For instance, at Royal Surrey, 100% of patients who used the app said they would recommend it. Staff feedback highlighted how it helped them prioritise patient concerns during appointments. Across the board, trusts have reported improvements in communication, patient satisfaction and overall efficiency.