Versus Arthritis – Presenting The App

Patient Group’s Masterclass in Presenting an App

Patient groups often lack the time and resources to present their apps well. Commercial developers also tend to neglect this key step, and the format limitations of app stores make it hard to differentiate apps.  

So, it’s been great to see the UK patient group charity Versus Arthritis take the time to make their app for young people with arthritis, aged 13-25, really stand out.

1: Show it’s been co-designed with patients

First, as a patient group, it’s key to show how you developed your app with patients.  Versus Arthritis do this in a number of ways on the app’s shop window page on their website. For example:

• In the introductory video, the app’s co-design with patients is the first thing mentioned
• An article featuring interviews with three of the patients who contributed to the app
• A feature detailing the `journey’ of creating the app, emphasising the involvement of the patients.

2: Show how patient feedback continues to shape the app

A section of the site gives examples of how feedback from patients has helped to improve the app, such as making the welcome screens more engaging and easier to use, and even voting to choose a new name for the app.

One very useful piece of feedback was that patients wanted not only to report pain, but to be much more specific about where the pain is. So, this new functionality was prioritised and added by the team.

Currently, the team is using Surveymonkey to organise votes on which new features are most important to develop next for the app.

3: Reach out to healthcare professionals

The app helps young people to track common arthritis symptoms and other data such as side effects, and the impact of the disease on their energy, sleep and day to day activities. It’s designed to enable young people to share this information in consultations with their healthcare teams. 

To help get the professionals on board, the charity also has a section on the app’s webpage to explain the benefits directly to healthcare professionals.

For example, this page profiles how the app can contribute to more effective consultations:

“Arthritis Tracker gives young people a tool to help them remember how they’ve been feeling, making it easier for you to have effective conversations in the clinic.

Using their Arthritis Tracker summaries as a prompt will help young people explain their symptoms so that you can spend more time talking about treatment options and self-management strategies. Additionally, Arthritis Tracker links to information and support from Versus Arthritis, so it’s an easy way for you to signpost young people to our services”. – Versus Arthritis

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