December 18, 2024- The Atrium Health Perfect Care Initiative, which provides remote patient monitoring for patients after major cardiac surgery, has demonstrated profound improvements in patient outcomes since the program began in 2018, including reduced postoperative length of stay, decreased 30-day readmission rates and enhanced overall patient satisfaction after surgery. The results of the program are detailed in a comprehensive study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, the journal of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The society is a leading authority in cardiothoracic clinical research and standards.
Patients enrolled in the program are provided with a digital health kit that includes a fitness tracker, weight scale and blood pressure cuff all connected to a mobile phone application. This technology allows patients to seamlessly monitor novel vital signs and activity levels from the comfort of their homes. The data collected by these devices is transmitted in real-time to the care team through the mobile app, which also enables scheduling, messaging and virtual visits.
Since the monitoring program began, it has made a big difference for patients. Participants enrolled in the program stayed in the hospital about one less day after surgery, had 35-40% fewer readmissions within 30 days and more patients were able to go directly home instead of going to rehabilitation facilities.