Zimmer Biomet (NYSE:ZBH) this week said it is creating a remote care management system with new MyMobility features on the Apple Watch.
The new features expand upon existing work between Apple and Zimmer Biomet, who launched the care management system in October 2018 to transform pre- and post-operative joint replacement experience.
MyMobility’s features Measure gait quality, and provide healthcare professionals with virtual touchpoints and real-time patient information to enhance decision-making. Patients will continue to receive a connected and customizable experience throughout their care.
Gait metrics are measured using sensors in the Apple watch and iPhone to collect walking speed and double support time while walking on flat-level surfaces, without using GPS. The features will be available to hip and knee joint replacement patients and their healthcare professionals through Zimmer Biomet’s digital platform later this year.
“Digital transformation of care has been central to Zimmer Biomet’s ongoing evolution and growth prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and is even more important now,” CEO Bryan Hanson said in a news release. “Through MyMobility with Apple Watch, we are providing new and effective ways to optimize the patient experience and mitigate patient issues, without requiring additional in-office visits.”
The new Apple Watch gait metrics will help healthcare professionals compare patient progress against a database to better manage post-operative care and to identify potential issues. The metrics will also be added to Zimmer Biomet’s OrthoIntel Orthopedic Intelligence Platform to help uncover new clinical insights for surgeons and care teams.
“While many patients progress according to the treatment plan and their goals, this isn’t the case for all patients. The gait tracking features and automated check-in notifications can help identify which patients aren’t recovering as expected and what factors might be contributing,” chief medical officer Dr. Andrew Freiberg said. “This real-time data sharing and new gait measurement feature help provide care teams with more oversight and guidance related to their patients’ recovery through a highly engaged and connected joint replacement experience.”
