ICU Research: COVID ICU Recovery Using Smartwatches
How can we improve patient rehabilitation after discharge from intensive care while abiding by social distancing restrictions? A new study published in the JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies journal outlines how our multi-disciplinary team in Sussex used smartwatches to improve patient care
Patients were given a Fitbit smartwatch and introduced to the platform on discharge from critical care. The data collected included step counts and daily resting heart rates which allowed the patient and care team to monitor remotely and provide feedback on how to continue their recovery.
A subgroup of patients had their data reviewed regularly at an ICM/Physiotherapy Multi-disciplinary meeting which enabled remote review of data, improved patient monitoring when services had been discontinued elsewhere.
The motivational impact of wearing a smartwatch appears to have varied across the groups. 71% (10/14) of smartwatch users at the MDT site and 48% (10/21) of those at the control sites strongly agreed that their Fitbit motivated them to recover, and 86% (12/14) and 48% (10/21), respectively, strongly agreed that they aimed to increase their activity levels over time.