Joint replacement surgery can be intimidating, but patients who know what to expect and are engaged with their joint replacement experience typically have better outcomes. Today, patients can get a customized pre-operative and post-operative program with the help of technology. Patients are provided information on various medical topics including diseases and recovery tips to improve health through better decision making.

One such technology adopted by Dr Nicholas B. Frisch is Peerwell. It is an electronic system that can be accessed via a computer, smartphone or tablet and can be used both by doctors and patients alike. It offers both PreHab and ReHab applications that guide users right from preparation of the surgery until recovery.

Technology, such as the Peerwell app, benefits both the patients and the health care providers:

1. Awareness: Makes patients better aware about their condition, how and why surgical procedures are done, time taken for surgery and post-surgical instructions such that the patients are well prepared before and after the surgery
2. Saves time and workload: Reduces the doctor’s and patient’s workload and saves their time by cutting down in-person checkups, follow-up calls or emails and patient counselling before the surgery
3. Safe choices: Risks and benefits with the surgery are understood clearly by the patients and they can decide if they want the surgery or not
4. Progress report: Patients progress is well documented in the app through timely tracking
5. Daily reminders: Provides a daily checklist which includes interactive lessons, exercises and other activities that needed to be done without fail
6. Drug information: Proper and complete understanding about the medications they are consuming or have been prescribed
7. Promotes self-dependence: Patients can refer to self-care tips and instructional videos to perform exercises safely in their homes
8. Simple user-friendly interface: Peerwell is easy to use, it’s active users have more than 80% engagement every week
9. Better output: Most patients are discharged straight home and have speedy recovery due to better stress/anxiety management
10. Nutrition guidance: Provides dedicated meal plan catering to each individual patient including dietary restrictions
11. Augmented reality home hazard detection: Peerwell has created unique app that guides you through your home while it uses your smartphone camera to detect hazards. Then, a risk assessment report is prepared which lists out the activities to be done

With interesting concepts to promote patient engagement, contact us about Peerwell to help set your expectations if you are planning to undergo joint surgery or are under recovery.