HKUMed’s SUPPORT+ app lowers unplanned hospital stays for cancer patients

Users can record their physical and psychological symptoms at home.

The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has developed SUPPORT+, an integrated cancer health management application for patients with advanced cancer.

In a press release, HKUMed said the app enables continuous symptom monitoring at home to help reduce the need for emergency visits and unplanned hospital admissions.

Users can record their physical and psychological symptoms every week, communicate with healthcare professionals online, and receive timely advice and support.

To evaluate its clinical effectiveness, a research team collaborated with six public hospitals to conduct a large-scale randomised controlled trial between 2023 and 2025.

The study found that patients using SUPPORT+ were better able to maintain their health-related quality of life over the 18-week follow-up period.

Patients also experienced fewer unplanned hospitalisations, with a lower proportion of patients requiring unplanned admissions.