Medical Devices

The medical field experiences change at such a fast pace
that it can be difficult to know what’s on the horizon, let alone what has
recently become available. Our primary objective at Med Ed Labs is to help
physicians and their teams remain at the forefront of medical innovation
through bioskills training. At the same time, we know good technology has a
place in patient care, as well. Here, we discuss an app that is helping hip and
knee surgeons improve their patients’ surgical experience.

New apps are consistently being developed both in and out of
medicine. Many of them come and go, and some make us sit up and take notice.
The mymobility app from Zimmer Biomet is one that has done the latter. The
mymobility app is designed with the patient in mind. It brings patient
involvement to the forefront of care and not only empowers the person needing
surgery but acts as a consistent support system for them as they prepare for
surgery and recovery. 

How Patients Benefit

Healthcare is all about benefiting the patient in whatever
way possible. Surgical repair of a hip or knee injury benefits the patient in
one way, but creates stress in other ways. With the mymobility app, patients
receive:

Direct Assistance

Surgeons who enroll in the mymobility app receive directive
on how to then enroll qualified patients. In the office, a member of the
surgical team staff enrolls the patient in mymobility. The patient then
receives an email the instructs them on completing their account and paring
devices. Once enrolled, patients are also guided in the use of the app as they
prepare for their procedure and as they recover.

Consistent Communication

Every surgeon knows that it can be difficult to meet all
patients’ needs for emotional support before and after surgery. The balance of
treating multiple patients and also being present […]

Medical professionals are nearly always “on,” even when off the clock. The instances of physicians acting in a volunteer role are high, and this presents unique challenges that may affect the outcome of urgent medical support. Here, we discuss how a new mobile app is improving the way care is provided in unexpected situations.

It is safe to say that, even with the extensive training they receive, most healthcare professionals are not familiar with the protocols and the resources available to achieve emergency stabilization in settings such as air travel. According to one study, which was presented at the annual meeting of The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, physicians who used technology during practice simulations of in-flight medical emergencies performed with greater confidence and efficacy.

In the study by Jump Simulation in collaboration with the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, physicians used the airRx mobile app. This app is currently the only point-of-care technology designed to handle in-flight medical events. The app presents 23 of the most common emergency situations that occur, including the roles of the flight crew and medico-legal implications for health care professionals who volunteer to assist.

The study took place in a mockup setting in which patients, flight attendants, family members, and passengers were portrayed by actors. Participating physicians, who had no emergency training, were placed into two groups: one that had the availability of the airRx app, and one that had no external assistance. Physician volunteers were rated by trained observers who measured performance using a Critical Action Checklist. Additionally, physicians reported their sense of confidence before and after their simulations.

On both fronts, physicians who used the mobile app faired better than those who did not. The trained observers rated […]