Keeping Track of Patients Electronically May Reduce Readmissions
For Immediate Release
March 7, 2018
Dallas, November 3, 2017 — At the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, Stefano A. Bini, MD presented a study where he and co-authors, John Bonano, BA, Aenor J. Sawyer, MD, Richard D. Southgate, MD, Erik N. Hansen, MD and Thomas P. Vail, MD, collected data on all patients who received hip and knee replacements in an academic arthroplasty practice in 2016. This was part of a mobile patient engagement platform (PEP) trial where patient usage was tracked.
Of the 612 patients eligible for the PEP trial, 554 activated their accounts. The PEP provided physician oversight of their post-surgical progress with messaging and alerts to and from the medical team. After 30 days, seven patients out of the 554 who activated their accounts were admitted; nine out of the 210 patient who did not activate their accounts were admitted.
The authors concluded, “Readmission rates were significantly lower in patients with active PEP accounts,” and further research is necessary.
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About the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons:
Established in 1991, the mission of AAHKS is to advance hip and knee patient care through education and advocacy. AAHKS has a membership of over 3,700 surgeons and other hip and knee health care professionals.
Contact:
Denise Smith Rodd
drodd@operationwalkglobal.org