Zimmer Biomet enhances remote care system used with Apple Watch

MedTech News: Zimmer Biomet launched new features of mymobility with Apple Watch, creating a first-of-its-kind remote care management system. These new features expand upon the existing work between Apple and Zimmer Biomet, who together launched the mymobility care management system in October 2018 to transform the pre- and post-operative joint replacement experience.

With the addition of new mobility metrics to measure gait quality, mymobility will provide healthcare professionals with even more virtual touchpoints and real-time patient information to enhance their decision-making process, while patients will continue to receive a connected and customisable experience throughout their episode of care. Apple demonstrated these features to developers during this year’s virtual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), June 22 to 26, 2020.

The new gait quality metrics leverage the power of Apple’s ecosystem by using sensors in the Apple Watch and iPhone to passively collect walking speed and double-support time (period of time when both feet are in contact with the ground) when walking on flat level surfaces – without GPS. These gait quality measurement features will be available to hip and knee joint replacement patients and their healthcare professionals through the mymobility 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,” said Bryan Hanson, President and CEO of Zimmer Biomet. “Through mymobility with Apple Watch, we are providing new and effective ways to optimise the patient experience and mitigate patient issues, without requiring additional in-office visits.”

mymobility’s new gait quality metrics from Apple Watch enable healthcare professionals to compare their patients’ progress against a database to better manage post-operative care and potentially identify issues. These new metrics will also be added to Zimmer Biomet’s OrthoIntel Orthopaedic Intelligence Platform created for the purpose of helping to uncover new clinical insights for surgeons and their 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,” said Dr. Andrew Freiberg, Chief Medical Officer of Zimmer Biomet. “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.”