Virtual physical therapy: A new horizon in ambulatory arthroplasty recovery

Discovering that a well-supported, evidence-based virtual physical therapy program produces the same functional and patient-reported outcomes as outpatient physical therapy—even for ambulatory TKA procedures—is a game-changer.

The rise in musculoskeletal care utilization is driving the exploration of more sustainable models to incentivize high-value care. As many total joint replacement procedures are already under bundled payments, health systems must find new ways to reduce cost while maintaining clinical outcomes.

Many health systems are studying the efficacy of remote patient monitoring and digital patient engagement on preoperative patient optimization and postoperative recovery. For total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures, virtual physical therapy has been proven to produce similar outcomes to outpatient physical therapy for traditional TKAs.

Currently, between 2.8% and 5% of TKAs in the U.S. are performed on an outpatient basis, typically on relatively young patients with few co-morbidities. However, the prevalence of same-day TKA procedures is increasing exponentially, fueled by cost containment pressures and the recent removal of TKA and total hip arthroplasty (THA) procedures from the Medicare Inpatient-Only list.

Some projections anticipate that more than 50% of TKAs will be offered as ambulatory procedures within the next five years. While orthopedic practices have become much more comfortable with the benefits of remote physical therapy, there is still apprehension regarding its adoption for outpatient procedures.

A study to evaluate outpatient vs. virtual physical therapy

Our institution devised a study to determine if formal physical therapy is necessary following outpatient TKA procedures. Patients undergoing same-day discharge TKAs between August 2019 and March 2021 were randomized to either outpatient physical therapy (OPT) or an internet-based virtual physical therapy (VPT) program.

By Dr. Brandon Naylor | MedCity News

Image Credit: Liubomyr Vorona / Getty Images

READ MORE

About Peter Coffaro 472 Articles
A growth-driven and strategic executive, Peter Coffaro commands more than 25 years of progressive management success within the medical device industry. Recognized by the World Journal of Orthopedics, Exponential Healthtech, and MedReps.com as one of the top medical sales influencers in the industry; he has 10 years of combined sales management experience and has held positions as a Director, General Manager, Distributor, and Vice President. Peter has worked for some of the top orthopedic companies in the world - Zimmer, DePuy, and Stryker. He is also the founder of OrthoFeed: a popular blog that covers digital orthopedic news and emerging medical technologies. Peter is a three-time Hall of Fame award winner at Johnson and Johnson and has an extensive background in organizational development, business development, sales management, digital marketing, and professional education. Peter holds a B.S. degree in Biology and Chemistry from Northern Illinois University.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.