Joyce was scheduled for a total knee replacement with Dr. Syed Haider on March 7. It was her first time having surgery. She was anxious because she had never had a major procedure done before.
While the surgery went smoothly and Joyce was able to go home the same day, she felt uneasy about the post-operative recovery at home, without being under physical watch by her health care team.
But prior to her surgery, Joyce was introduced to a mobile application called SeamlessMD. With SeamlessMD, patients at Oak Valley Health are guided pre- and post-surgery via evidence-based education, reminders, videos, and progress tracking surveys and they can self-report data, all through their own device (e.g. smartphone, tablet, or computer).
Being 64 years old and not very tech savvy, Joyce found the app fairly easy to use. She was especially appreciative of having hospital information, post-operative recovery instructions, exercise recommendations, and a method of communication with her care providers right at her fingertips. She also found it useful prior to her surgery because it provided her with a lot of information about how to prepare for her surgery and what she could expect on the day of.
It settled her anxiety being able to use it prior, accessing and doing the exercises provided, and then post-operatively when she returned home. Having the app and being comfortable using it made going home reassuring for Joyce.
“I was able to manage my recovery easily and confidently.”
Joyce
On her second day post-surgery, Joyce had a fall. But, thanks to the real-time correspondence with her health care team via SeamlessMD, she was able to speak to someone about her experience and they reassured her that she would be okay, helping her avoid an unnecessary trip to the Emergency Department (ED).
“I was dizzy, it was probably the medication, but I was able to fill out one of the surveys indicating my fall, then they [the care team] reached straight out to me and I felt reassured because I had access to someone to talk it through with me,” says Joyce. “Otherwise, I would have ended up going to emergency. At least I didn’t have to do that.”
Oak Valley Health’s teams also benefit from being able to remotely monitor patients, view patient data such as care journey compliance, survey results, and opioid use, as well as access alerts, allowing for faster intervention for patients at risk and the delivery of better care. The platform is fully compatible with Oak Valley Health’s patient information systems.
When reflecting on her experience with the app, Joyce comments: “I felt like I always had someone to count on to take care of me when I recovered at home. I was able to manage my recovery easily and confidently. It was great, and I’d highly recommend it.”
For more information, or to sign up to use SeamlessMD, speak with your health care provider.