Why Digital Health Matters in Hip Fracture Recovery
As the world embraces technology, healthcare is no exception. This scoping review delves into the role of digital health interventions in the post-surgery care of hip fracture patients. The study aims to shed light on how technology can potentially improve patient outcomes and streamline healthcare delivery processes.
With an aging population, hip fractures are becoming increasingly common, necessitating innovative approaches to post-surgery care. Digital health interventions offer a promising avenue for enhancing patient-clinician interactions and improving overall outcomes.
The Source Article Details
Patient-clinician digital health interventions for the hip fracture population: a scoping review by Chantal Backman et al. in 2023.
The Source Article's Abstract
Introduction
Older adults with hip fracture often require extensive post-surgery care across multiple sectors, making follow-up care even more important to ensure an ideal recovery. With the increased adoption of technology, patient-clinician digital health interventions can potentially improve post-surgery outcomes of hip fracture patients by helping them and their caregivers better understand the various aspects of their care, post-hip fracture surgery.
Methods
We conducted a scoping review following the six stages of Arksey and O'Malley's framework and following the PRISMA-ScR reporting format. Searches were conducted in five databases. In addition to hand searching for relevant studies from the references of all included studies, we also conducted a grey literature search to identify relevant primary studies. Screening of titles and abstracts as well as full texts were performed independently by two reviewers. Two reviewers also performed the data extraction of the included studies.
Results
After screening 3,638 records, 20 articles met the criteria and 1 article was identified through hand searching. Various patient-clinician digital health interventions were described including telehealth /telerehabilitation programs, care transition /follow-up interventions, online resources, and wearable devices /sensor monitoring.
Citing the Source Article (APA)
Backman, C., Papp, S., Harley, A., Skidmore, B., Green, M., Shah, S., Berdusco, R., Poitras, S., Beaule, P.E., French-Merkley, V. (2023). Patient-clinician digital health interventions for the hip fracture population: a scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 1052-1052. 10.1186/s12913-023-09784-y
What the Review Unveils
The review follows the six stages of Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and the PRISMA-ScR reporting format. It screened 3,638 records, ultimately including 20 articles and one identified through hand searching.
Various types of patient-clinician digital health interventions are discussed, including telehealth programs, care transition interventions, online resources, and wearable devices. These technologies aim to improve functional status, gait/mobility, quality of life, and other patient outcomes.
Barriers and Enablers: A Double-Edged Sword
While digital health interventions offer numerous benefits, their adoption is not without challenges. For clinicians, the acceptability of the technology was a significant barrier. On the flip side, the perceived usefulness of these interventions served as both a barrier and an enabler.
For patients and caregivers, themes like availability, usability, and knowledge were seen as both barriers and enablers, depending on the study. These factors need to be addressed to ensure the successful implementation of digital health interventions.
Implications for the Medical Profession
- Enhanced Patient Engagement: Digital health interventions can significantly improve patient engagement, leading to better outcomes.
- Streamlined Healthcare Delivery: These technologies can make healthcare delivery more efficient, especially in the context of post-surgery care for hip fracture patients.
- Professional Development: Clinicians need to be trained to adapt to these digital tools for a more holistic approach to patient care.
What do you think about the role of digital health interventions in hip fracture recovery? Are they the future of healthcare, or do they come with their own set of challenges that we are yet to address? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.