Improving Care and Reducing Rehospitalization
For a patient recovering from joint replacement surgery, rehab is vital as the patient works to regain the ability to perform the activities of daily living. Virtual care technology is essential to helping patients recover at home and reduce the risk of rehospitalization.
Penn Medicine used telehealth and RPM to reduce rehospitalizations by 75% among patients who received hip or knee replacements. Their study demonstrates how RPM programs can push care management from traditional points of care to the patient’s home. “There are great opportunities for health systems and clinicians to improve the quality and value of care for patients getting hip and knee joint replacement surgery, and some of the most important advances are focused on what happens when patients return home,” Shivan Mehta, MD, associate chief innovation officer at Penn Medicine and the study’s lead author, said in a press release. “Technology, behavioral science insights, and care redesign can help to improve care at home and prevent patients from coming back to the hospital unnecessarily.”
Engaging Patients and Driving Adherence
Synzi’s virtual care platform is helping PTs and PTAs help patients with their recovery, improve their movement, and manage their pain.
- During virtual visits, therapists guide their patients through the exercises needed to optimize outcomes (e.g., more strength and movement with less pain) and reinforce how to correctly do each exercise so patients do not lose momentum in their recovery.
- With remote patient monitoring, patients easily share their vital signs from a smartphone or tablet with Bluetooth-enabled devices and consumer products. Referral partners (such as the orthopedic surgeon and the patient’s PCP) can also continue tracking their patient’s progress post-procedure.
- Digital assessments are pushed to the patients to check on the patient’s recovery and level of engagement in the exercise regimen. Patients share ePHI such as wound care photos via secure messaging. Text messages serve to remind patients about medication and exercise adherence.
The flexibility in providing care virtually also helps agencies when a therapist is unexpectedly unavailable for an upcoming virtual visit. Short-term coverage can be provided virtually by other available therapists. Patients can continue to receive needed therapy support on a more consistent basis.
Christopher Bajema, PT, OCS, CSCS, Clinical Leader – Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Mary Free Bed, recognizes the benefits of using Synzi in telerehab. “I am excited about the future of virtual care to improve value, service, and outcomes,” says Chris Bajema. “Post-pandemic, I hope to move to a hybrid where some in-person visits are replaced by virtual visits because we’re seeing similar outcomes. I’m glad that MFB was prepared with Synzi’s technology in advance of the increased need due to the pandemic… Synzi works like a charm!”