Publish date: 16 January 2024
Supporting patients throughout their joint replacement journey with care platform
More than 1,000 Northumbria Healthcare patients are benefitting from a care management platform which keeps them connected to their surgeon and care team.
The trust, which manages hospitals and community services in Northumberland and North Tyneside, is one of the first organisations to enrol 1,000 patients on the mymobility platform.
Preparing for every step
Preparing for and recovering from joint replacement surgery can seem overwhelming for some patients. Knowing what to expect and receiving support from their surgeon and care team throughout the surgical journey, can help ease the process.
The mymobility Care Management Platform complements the traditional care provided by surgeons and care teams, allowing them to deliver tailored information and guidance remotely, through a mobile or web application*.
Before surgery, mymobility helps care teams support patients in understanding their condition, how to optimise their health prior to surgery, what to expect on the day of surgery, and how to prepare for their recovery.
A survey of patients who had used mymobility revealed that 63% of users felt the mymobility app reduced their anxiety before surgery relative to prior medical or surgical experiences.1
Keeping recovery on track
Recovery time can be a concern for orthopaedic patients approaching joint replacement surgery.2 mymobility helps care teams support patients throughout their recovery, delivering surgeon-assigned care plans, including scheduled exercises, helpful reminders and progress reports.
Personal recovery targets can be tracked in real time, allowing surgeons and care teams to monitor progress remotely, and change the activity plan if needed. Smartwatch compatibility* means that mymobility can also monitor additional metrics, including activity levels, steps, stand hours, floors climbed and heart rate.
A study conducted in patients using mymobility showed reduced re-admission rates following surgery vs traditional care (2.5% vs 6.7%, respectively), and reduced emergency department visits (2.5% vs 8.2%, respectively).3
Complementing traditional care pathways
Perceived usefulness and ease of use are important factors in patient adoption of digital care management platforms.4 mymobility complements the traditional care provided by the surgeon and care team, while offering remote support and care management.
Research has shown that mymobility can be as effective as in-person care when comparing functional and patient reported outcomes.3 A survey of patients who had used mymobility also revealed that 80% of users reported a better or much better experience than previous surgical experiences.5
Professor Mike Reed, clinical director for trauma and orthopaedics at Northumbria Healthcare, said: “Preparing for and recovering from surgery are key parts of the journey for joint replacement patients and we are always looking for ways to improve the support we provide.
“We are excited that we can now offer the mymobility system to our patients, as it enables us to maintain close links and help manage their care easily and effectively. We always want patients to have the right information and advice, and the platform helps us to do that as well.”
*The mymobility app is for use with compatible smartphone models and smartwatches, or patients must have internet access and a text-capable mobile device to use mymobility; mymobility is available for certain patients undergoing shoulder, hip or knee replacement surgery and certain procedures for injuries affecting joint function; not all patients are candidates. All names used in the mymobility app examples are fictitious. No identification with actual patients or health care professionals is intended or should be inferred.
1. Zimmer Biomet Data on File. mymobility Clinical Study Preliminary Data – mymobility patients completing survey through 4th August 2020. 774 patients surveyed. Questions answered between 14 and 44 days post op. Study ongoing.
2. Zimmer Biomet Data on File. ROSA online survey conducted in 2021. Included 1,994 respondents UK wide, aged 55+ who either personally had or lived with someone who suffered from knee pain. Veeva Ref – 03853.
3. Crawford DA et al. 2021 Mark Coventry Award: Use of a smartphone-based care platform after primary partial and total knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomized controlled trial. Bone Joint J. 2021;103-B (6 Supple A):3–12.
4. Kavandi H and Jaana M. Factors that affect health information technology adoption by seniors: A systematic review. Health Soc Care Community. 2020;28:1827–1842. mymobility not part of the study.
5. Zimmer Biomet Data on File. mymobility Clinical Study Preliminary Data - mymobility patients completing survey through 4th August 2020. 569 Patients Surveyed. Questions answered between 14 and 44 days post op. Study ongoing.
Media contact
Ben O’Connell, external communications manager, Northumbria Healthcare
Benjamin.O'Connell@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.ukor