COVID Follow-App: Telematic Monitoring Through a Mobile Application of Patients With COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial

A randomized, open-label clinical trial, at one center, a 1100-bed academic hospital, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, in Barcelona, Spain. Patients who met the enrolment criteria were randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to be followed by the Farmalarm app or the primary care setting.

Farmalarm is an app for smartphones designed to increase stroke awareness and treatment compliance through visual and audible alerts. The application's software offers versatility to modify the parameters to be monitored and the information to be sent, which were adapted to our purpose.

Intervention was started after the patient was discharged and underwent randomization. At this moment, patients assigned to the study group were given a personal access code ensuring data privacy, and they were lent an intelligent pulse oximeter (SMART PULSE OXIMETER OL-750, LifeVit, Guangdong Biolight Meditech CO., LTD, China). In a 15 minutes interview they were trained in the use of the app, the use of the pulse oximeter and the measurement of some vital signs.

On that same day, the healthcare professional uploaded and scheduled on the web-based platform a personalized program for the following 2 weeks.

To maintain close control of respiratory evolution, patients registered at least 2 times a day their heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature and peripheral capillary oxygen saturation. The intelligent pulse oximeter allowed data to be downloaded directly to the WP every time the patient used it. They also had to answer a symptom survey every day for the same period. The WP allows scheduling alarms and so, in case one of the vital signs or survey responses were altered, the healthcare in charge automatically received a notification, being able to contact immediately the patient. A private chat between the patient and the healthcare responsible for WP was attended every day from 8 AM to 5 PM to answer any doubt.