CATEGORY: Cancer coaching, Personalized medicine, Cloud eHealth platforms
SOURCE: Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, FEB. 22, 20(5), 3937; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053937;

FORECAST – A cloud-based personalized intelligent virtual coaching platform for the well-being of cancer patients

Sofoklis Kyriazakos, Vincenzo Valentini, Alfredo Cesario, Robert Zachariae

Abstract

Well-being of cancer patients and survivors is a challenge worldwide, considering the often chronic nature of the disease. Today, a large number of initiatives, products and services are available that aim to provide strategies to face the challenge of well-being in cancer patients; nevertheless the proposed solutions are often non-sustainable, costly, unavailable to those in need, and less well-received by patients. These challenges were considered in designing FORECAST, a cloud-based personalized intelligent virtual coaching platform for improving the well-being of cancer patients. Personalized coaching for cancer patients focuses on physical, mental, and emotional concerns, which FORECAST is able to identify. Cancer patients can benefit from coaching that addresses their emotional problems, helps them focus on their goals, and supports them in coping with their disease-related stressors. Personalized coaching in FORECAST offers support, encouragement, motivation, confidence, and hope and is a valuable tool for the wellbeing of a patient.