Consumer wearables data impact pediatric surgery clinicians’ remote management

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Integration of consumer wearables data has the potential to inform clinicians’ remote assessment of postoperative patients. This multi-institutional study evaluated the impact of adding objective recovery data from consumer wearables to postoperative telephone encounters on clinicians’ management.Methods Three telephone scenarios of post-appendectomy patients were presented to clinicians at five children’s hospitals. Each scenario was then supplemented with wearable data concerning for or reassuring against postoperative complication. Clinicians rated likelihood of ED referral and confidence in decision-making.Results Thirty-four clinicians participated. Compared to the scenario alone, the addition of reassuring wearable data resulted in decrease in likelihood of ED referral for all three scenarios (p < 0.01). When presented with concerning wearable data, there was significant increase in the likelihood of ED referral for two of three scenarios (p = 0.72, p = 0.02, p < 0.001). With the addition of wearable data, 76–88% of clinicians reported increased confidence in their recommendations.Conclusion The addition of wearable data to simulated telephone scenarios for post-discharge pediatric surgery patients impacted clinicians’ remote patient management and increased clinician confidence. Wearable devices are capable of providing real-time measures of recovery, which can be employed as a post-operative monitoring tool to reduce delays in care and avoidable health care utilization.