Transforming Hip Arthrosis Care with Digital Solutions
As part of the HealthChain I3 project, the Slovenia West pilot aimed to introduce groundbreaking improvements in hip arthrosis surgical interventions. The primary goal was to reduce hospitalization time from seven to two days while maintaining high safety and quality standards. This ambitious initiative leveraged digital health innovations, including a secure ICT system for real-time data exchange, improved medication transparency, and patient empowerment tools.
Over six months, 21 patients with an average age of 66 participated in the pilot. The project addressed key challenges in elderly care and complex healthcare processes, leading to the development of a dedicated mobile application that enhanced accessibility and patient engagement. By successfully overcoming initial barriers, the pilot demonstrated the transformative potential of digital solutions in improving patient-centered care and healthcare efficiency.
Addressing the Challenges: A Collaborative Digital Health Solution
The Slovenia West pilot focused on a significant challenge: reducing hospitalization time for hip arthrosis surgery while ensuring optimal recovery conditions. Barriers such as limited access to patient health data, digital illiteracy among elderly patients, complex healthcare procedures, and inefficient medication management negatively impacted rehabilitation and overall quality of life.
To overcome these obstacles, the pilot introduced an ICT-supported digital ecosystem designed to optimize patient care and post-operative rehabilitation. A secure communication platform enabled real-time exchange of health documents among providers, improving medication transparency and minimizing risks for patients managing multiple prescriptions. Additionally, patients benefited from personalized multimedia education, remote monitoring, and PROMs/PREMs tracking to measure their recovery outcomes.
Recognizing the digital literacy challenges among elderly patients, the initially web-based system was redesigned into a more accessible mobile application. The co-creation process involved healthcare providers, pharmacists, ICT specialists, and patients, ensuring that the solution was tailored to user needs. By mapping patient journeys, analyzing workflows, and integrating HealthLord ICT solutions, the project effectively streamlined processes and enhanced patient engagement.
Direct Collaboration with International Experts: Enriching the Digital Health Innovation Process
A major strength of the HealthChain I3 project was collaboration with experts from various countries, which enriched the experience and highlighted international interest in healthcare innovation. Through face-to-face meetings and individual consultations with consortium partners, the Slovenian team gained valuable insights into:
- Telemedicine Implementation Concepts in Different Countries: Assessing best practices and potential pitfalls.
- National Healthcare Systems in Different Countries: Analyzing infrastructure and regulations to identify customization needs.
- Interest in Telemedicine Solutions: Gauging readiness and demand among partners.
- Specialist Outpatient Clinic Operations in Different Countries: Streamlining patient data integration and post-operative monitoring.
- National Digital Health Strategies: Understanding regulatory frameworks, data security, and interoperability standards.
These insights were instrumental in developing a comprehensive business plan and guiding the design of solutions for international expansion. This collaborative approach enhanced the effectiveness of the HealthChain pilot and positioned the solution for seamless integration into other healthcare systems.
Pilot Execution and Key Findings
The pilot was led by the Surgical Sanatorium Rožna Dolina (KSRD) as the main challenger, with HealthLord (Gospodar zdravja d.o.o.) (HL) providing ICT support. IT company Parsek contributed expertise in quality, regulation, and business development, while the SIH EEIG (Slovenian Innovation Hub) served as an ecosystem supporter.
The project was implemented in three phases:
- Design Phase (Feb – Dec 2023)
- Development Phase (Jan – Jun 2024)
- Pilot Phase (Jul – Nov 2024)
Key Results
Patient Satisfaction and Post-Surgery Outcomes
Throughout six educational sessions, 36 patients were invited to participate, and 21 actively engaged in the pilot. The project successfully enhanced a secure patient notification system and developed a mobile app that significantly improved accessibility for elderly patients. Additionally, the digital solution attracted interest from another hospital, highlighting its potential for broader adoption.
The majority of patients rated KSRD as an excellent healthcare institution and expressed high satisfaction with their treatment experience. Many stated they would confidently recommend KSRD to others undergoing similar procedures, reinforcing trust in the facility and the quality of care provided.
Three months post-surgery, the results demonstrated substantial improvements in mobility and pain reduction. Specifically:
- Pain Management: 75% of patients reported experiencing no pain or only mild discomfort in the hip, indicating successful pain management and recovery.
- Mobility Improvement: 80% of patients experienced no or only minor difficulties walking, demonstrating the effectiveness of the surgical procedure and post-operative care plan in restoring mobility and daily function.
Effectiveness of Digital Health Solutions
The introduction of digital health tools played a crucial role in improving patient experiences and rehabilitation outcomes. A significant majority of patients acknowledged the benefits of the HealthLord solution in their treatment process.
- Enhanced Patient Engagement: 70% of patients agreed or mostly agreed that the HealthLord solution played a key role in their recovery journey. They reported feeling more in control of their treatment process, which increased their confidence in post-surgery rehabilitation.
- Ease of Use and Accessibility: Despite initial concerns about digital literacy, 60% of patients found the digital tools user-friendly. The mobile application’s intuitive design, simplified navigation, and clear instructions allowed patients to engage effectively with the platform.
- Medication Transparency and Safety: 80% of patients stated that the medication information system (MIZ) reduced their anxiety about home rehabilitation. By providing structured medication schedules and real-time updates, the system minimized uncertainty and the risk of mismanagement.
- Reminder System Benefits: 60% of patients found the reminder feature beneficial in adhering to post-operative care guidelines. Regular notifications helped them stay on track with prescribed exercises, medication schedules, and follow-up appointments, improving overall recovery outcomes.
Lessons Learned
The pilot provided key insights into the implementation of digital solutions for elderly patients. The high average age of participants underscored the need for advanced yet user-friendly digital tools. Additionally, Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) should be adapted to exclude general health status metrics for elderly patients, as multiple comorbidities can distort the results.
Another significant finding was that 30% of patients did not respond to invitations for educational sessions, indicating a level of disengagement or passivity. However, despite their advanced age and mobility limitations, most participants attended appointments independently, demonstrating a strong willingness to engage with healthcare services when properly supported.
These findings highlight the importance of refining digital solutions for elderly users, improving patient engagement strategies, and ensuring that educational initiatives are both accessible and impactful.
Future Outlook: Scaling the Digital Health Solution
Building on the pilot’s success, the HealthChain project has significantly enhanced patient empowerment and engagement in treatment processes, strengthening its competitive position in the market. Encouragingly, another hospital has expressed interest in adopting the solution, leading to collaboration on a new project that will test the application with younger patients recovering from injuries. This will provide valuable insights for further adaptation and broader implementation.
Additionally, the patient empowerment system developed in this pilot will be integrated into other healthcare solutions to enhance patient involvement across different treatment areas. A comprehensive business plan has been developed for the international expansion of the product, ensuring its long-term sustainability.
Strategic goals for the coming year include:
- Expanding market share in Slovenia.
- Entering a new selected market.
- Adapting the information system for the new market.
- Conducting further market analysis for international growth.
These steps will ensure wider adoption of the digital solution, allowing healthcare systems to benefit from improved patient engagement and optimized treatment processes.
Franc Vindišar, M.D.’s (KSRD) Statement (VIDEO)
»The digitalization of patient information enhances and upgrades the quality of information delivery. This makes communication less dependent on staff availability and presence in the hospital. With this system, all patients, their relatives, and caregivers can receive relevant information. Video content allows patients to revisit educational materials even after initial training, contributing to a faster and more effective understanding and use of the information provided. For elderly patients, digital solutions must remain extremely simple and should never be more complicated than making a regular phone call. Moving forward, we plan to continuously integrate digitalization into all work processes. We will keep up with new trends and further improve services for patients. We have recognized this solution as beneficial and plan to continue using it in the future, including after relocating to the new hospital. «
Contact Information
For further information or collaboration inquiries, contact the HealthLord team at:
info@gospodar-zdravja.si