eCysticFibrosis Review

Breakthroughs in CF Technology

In this issue:

One of the highlight exhibits at the 2019 NACFC in Nashville was the Innovation Lab, an interactive science fair showcasing how technology is being harnessed to improve cystic fibrosis (CF) treatment. This year the focus was on improving adherence.

The need for people with CF to self-administer a large number of medical interventions (taking medications, using devices, etc) every day creates a treatment burden that adversely affects adherence. Clinicians who stopped by the Innovation Lab received first-hand experience with the breakthrough technologies currently available to help patients overcome adherence challenges.

More than 800 clinicians caring for patients with CF passed through the Innovation Lab during NACFC 2019. Follow-up polling revealed:

• More than 53% expected to absolutely/most likely incorporate some of the demonstrated technologies into their practice
• More than 68% absolutely/most likely intended to recommend some of the demonstrated technologies to their patients
• Only 12% expected insurmountable barriers when trying to incorporate or refer the new technologies.

Our guest author for this eCysticFibrosis Review Special Edition is Dr. Gabriela Oates, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, and Associate Scientist at the UAB Cystic Fibrosis Research Center. She was also a visitor to the 2019 NACFC Innovation Lab. In this Special Edition issue, Dr. Oates:

• Summarizes the current literature describing how new technologies can improve adherence through more objective measurement and unbiased monitoring
• Explains how new programs and devices can increase communication between clinicians and their patients to provide better patient-centered care
• Provides further information recommendations of key publications reporting on investigations into incorporating technology to improve patient outcomes
• Reviews her 2019 NACFC Innovation Lab experience and highlights a number of the available technologies featured

Learning objectives:

• Explain the importance of medication adherence and patient barriers to optimal treatment regimens.
• Identify ways in which current technology applications can help support adherence to daily CF care.