Creation of an interactive web portal for people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) to empower patients and equip them to more actively manage their health - MY IBD portal

Narrative

'My IBD Portal' is a web-based care package for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). It consists of a personal IBD record, which allows people to log in and access their clinic letters, blood results, medications, and current management plans, anywhere in the world. 

Designed by Professor McLaughlin and colleagues, it includes interactive tools designed to help patients manage their Crohn's and Colitis, such as, disease monitoring charts, a food diary, personal medication records and interactive care planning. In addition, people can access Crohn's & Colitis UK information leaflets directly through the portal. 

This web-based package aims to empower patients and promote a team approach to disease management, enabling people to be better equipped to take a more active role in managing their Crohn's and Colitis. 

'My IBD Portal' is currently available at Salford where around 1000 patients  are now using the portal, with 98% of those rating the process as good/excellent. 
Focus groups showed that 'My IBD Portal' helps patients feel less worried and more in control of their conditions. "It can reduce anxiety. Especially if you're waiting on results as you can just click on it and look". ''It puts your mind at rest.' Providing comfort and reducing worry is important in managing a long-term condition such as IBD. 

'My IBD Portal' can also improve communication between people and their doctors through the direct messaging facility. It was found that the portal had a number of ways of empowering users and this ranged from providing them with greater skills and knowledge to manage their condition, as well as improving their confidence when they have appointments with healthcare professionals. 'It means I am much more assertive when I'm seeing my GP". ''It gives you more power... the portal allows you to track these and be more proactive in your management".

'The IBD Portal' hasn't just improved the patient experience, it has also led to benefits for the hospital too. Those using the package had an average of clinic 2.9 appointments each in 2014-15, but this reduced to 0.6 attendances in 2016-17. This released over 500 clinic appointments. 

The team is currently collecting more data looking at the success impact of 'My IBD Portal' and hopes to progress its roll-out in more hospitals across the UK with the support of Crohn's & Colitis UK.  

Impact date	2016 → 2022
Category of impact	Health and wellbeing, Technological
Impact level	Benefit