The MS Trust announce the launch of My MS Expert, the first interactive online video designed to make health information accessible to more people living with multiple sclerosis.
My MS Expert is an interactive video designed to give people with MS access to information in an accessible and friendly format. It’s a first of its kind, meaning people living with the complex symptoms of MS now have the opportunity to ask questions about their health in their own words and most importantly get reliable answers delivered with care.
Upon starting, users are greeted by an MS expert and are prompted to ask a question on a specific topic. People can ask their questions out loud, type them into a box, or simply press a button with a suggested question. The user question is then responded to with one of around 100 pre-recorded answers. Where speech or text is used, My MS Expert utilises Artificial Intelligence to match user input with one of the question/answer combinations in the system.
Dr Claire Winchester, Head of Information and Engagement at the MS Trust commented:
“We believe that My MS Expert is more accessible than other forms of online information. For people living with MS, fatigue, cognitive and memory problems, or impaired vision, can make finding and processing information in text format much harder. This method makes the process of finding trusted information on MS much easier for them.”
As the shortage of MS health professionals continues and the number of people on neurology waiting lists grows, it’s essential that the MS Trust continue to provide trusted information in a format which is accessible to people living with the often-debilitating symptoms of MS.
While My MS Expert is not a replacement for Nurse interventions and clinic visits, the information provided can help people with self-management techniques. It can give those who are struggling some guidance on what to do next and empower them to feel more in control and confident about their decisions and life with MS.
The first My MS Expert video focuses on the delicate subject of Advance Care Planning (ACP). This is the process of thinking about, and having conversations, about the care that you’d like to have in the future if your health were to change. View the tool here https://mstrust.org.uk/my-ms-expert
The MS Trust are currently seeking funding opportunities to produce more My MS Experts across a broad range of topics and symptoms. For more information please contact comms@mstrust.org.uk.