Apple watches will monitor hip, knee surgery patients
Surgeons will be using an Apple Watch app to help monitor the basic health data of patients who’ve undergone hip or knee replacement surgery, according to a report by Reuters.
Medical device company Zimmer Biomet is testing a new mobile application, called Mymobility, that will allow doctors to monitor the health of patients who opt to go home while recovering from hip and knee replacement surgery. The app allows patients to communicate with their doctors about their recovery and therapy.
Hip and knee joint replacement surgeries qualify under the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement bundled payment model by CMS, and the surgeries are two of the most common in the nation.
Physicians can also use the app to monitor patient data and send reminders about therapy through the watches. Doctors will be able to monitor heart rate, steps taken and standing hours.
“When you look at what patients have to do when they undergo hip and knee replacement, in some cases they have very low support or guidance before and after surgery, which creates a lot of unnecessary fear and anxiety,” Zimmer Biomet executive Dan Williamson said in the report.
“We believe this is going to create a new ecosystem in orthopedics that ultimately drive less anxiety in patients, and more visibility from the surgeon.”
To read the full report, click the link below.
Danielle covers Clinical Innovation & Technology as a senior news writer for TriMed Media. Previously, she worked as a news reporter in northeast Missouri and earned a journalism degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She's also a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bears and Bulls.