1 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A P R I L 2 0 1 9
Knee replacement
patients get a lot of
information thrown at
them from the moment
they schedule surgery
to their last physical
therapy appointment.
Communication apps
can help them keep it
all straight and ulti-
mately increase their
satisfaction with the
entire surgical experi-
ence.
At Excelsior Orthopaedics in Amherst, N.Y., patients enroll in an
app that walks them through all the key steps before and after
surgery. "Patients really appreciate it," says Sue Dow, MA, ATC,
Excelsior's director of process reengineering. "They love the
alerts and reminders that pop up on their phones."
The app guides patients through the 30 days before surgery and
the 15 days after. Before surgery, they receive reminders about
getting their medical clearances, proper skin care, when to discon-
tinue medications and even what to wear to the surgery center on
the day of the procedure. After surgery, they get messages about
the physical therapy exercises they'll need to do to strengthen their
new joints and when to take pain medication.
"From our perspective, patient satisfaction is through the roof in
• MOBILE DATA Patients appreciate receiving reminders and information
about the next step in their care.
Messaging Apps Keep Patients in the Loop
CONSTANT COMMUNICATION
Excelsior
Orthopaedics
