Becker's ASC Review

35 Executive Briefing remote patient monitoring is web based and resides 100 percent outside the firewall of the physician or health system so no downloading from an outside vendor is required. In order to maintain a high level of security, the KinexCONNECT communicates back to Kinex using TLS1.2 encryption, ensuring privacy and security. No PHI is transmitted to, transmitted from, or stored on the KinexCONNECT tablet. The original intent in the design and development of the KinexCONNECT was to create an orthopedic rehabilitation solution following TKA and other orthopedic procedures for value based care models such as Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI Advanced). Kinex has collected data on over 11,000 patients over the last two years and is obtaining extremely high patient satisfaction scores, superior outcomes, and significantly lower post-acute costs, which makes KinexCONNECT so valuable in a value-based care model for all parties involved. As stated above, the KinexCONNECT is saving on average $800 to $1,000 a case while achieving similar outcomes to clinical based physical therapy. The KinexCONNECT positions orthopedic surgeons and hospitals as leaders in telerehabilitation as well as rehabilitation risk management. As U.S. hospitals and surgery centers start to resume elective surgeries following the COVID-19 pandemic, there are a number of factors that will be critical to ensuring the success of resuming these procedures. One of the first steps in resuming elective surgeries is ensuring patient safety and comfort in returning to a hospital or surgery setting. Patient selection and testing for the virus will be critical, however patients will need to safely rehabilitate and recover following surgery as well. Most experts agree that even as the COVID-19 pandemic significantly slows down, public health measures such as social distancing will remain in place indefinitely. Furthermore, if there is a resurgence of the virus in the winter, people will need to socially isolate and maintain appropriate distance from others. We are already receiving calls and virtual meeting requests from hospitals and doctors around the country, including overseas, about implementing the KinexCONNECT for orthopedic post-op rehabilitation following COVID-19. As the possibility of social distancing may be with us for a few years to some degree, it is critical that patients are able to safely rehabilitate without compromising quality. Using the KinexConnect for post-acute rehabilitation following TKA and other elective procedures allows the patient to rehabilitate safely in their own home while maintaining the social distancing requirements required during the COVID-19 pandemic. Partnering with Kinex and the KinexCONNECT allows hospitals and ASCs to provide a safe, effective rehabilitation platform upon discharge while saving cost, saving time, improving patient engagement, and staying connected to the patient post discharge. The KinexCONNECT is quick and easy to implement, currently available in most states across the U.S., and fully scalable. Recently Parvizi et. al. published a Current Concepts Review: Resuming Elective Orthopaedic Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc. The guidelines were developed by the International Consensus Group (ICM). Question IV.6 asks "Should Any Changes Be Made in Postoperative Care Protocols for Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic? The response/ recommendations were the following: 1. The length of hospital stay for patients should be minimized. 2. Postoperative rounds by the surgeon may be done with the use of telemedicine, whenever possible. 3. Patients should be discharged home, and transfer to inpatient rehabilitation should be minimized. 4. The patient should be instructed how to perform self- directed physical therapy at home. 5. Post-discharge visits to the office should be minimized, with the majority of the follow-up being done by telemedicine. 6. Office visits should be limited to those who are having issues/complications such as wound-healing problems, suspected fracture, stiffness, and so on. 7. Digital health programs and wearable sensor technologies that allow monitoring of patients will play a larger role in management of patients in the future. 8. Social distancing should be resumed and at-home visits avoided, unless absolutely essential. n Kinex Medical Company (Kinex), based out of Waukesha, WI, is an orthopedic specialty telerehabilitation and durable medical equipment company. With over 400 employees, Kinex has distribution in 36 states across the United States and provides necessary post-operative equipment to doctors and patients following orthopedic surgery. These products include, but are not limited to, bracing and supports, continuous passive motion (CPM), DVT pumps, cold therapy, compression, and a telerehabilitation platform called the KinexCONNECT. Kinex is contracted with over 300 insurance plans across the U.S. and is actively engaged in a number of value-based care models. Kinex is able to show significant cost savings while achieving superior outcomes. Kinex primarily provides products and services within the patient's home, which is proven very essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients are able to safely recover in their own homes, allowing them to follow state and federal guidelines and minimize exposure to COVID-19.

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