Engaging Patients Through the Peri-Procedural Phase With the Right Information at the Right Time

The Peri-Procedural Loop Program has enhanced the patient experience at the Orthopaedic Institute, providing patients with an innovative and engaging care experience that has improved outcomes.

By using the Peri-Procedural Loop (via the digital care management platform, GetWell Loop), patients can stay connected with their care team between visits, keeping the entire team “in the loop” and informed about patients’ progress. Between July 2015 and September 2022, 14,880 patients were invited to participate in the program, with 87% opting into the program.

Prior to the implementation, communication with patients during this phase at the Orthopaedic Institute was predominantly reliant on written documentation and manual intervention, which meant clinical staff spent a significant amount of time guiding patients when it could be used more efficiently and effectively. 

In contrast, patients in the program automatically receive daily alerts and notifications on their smart devices. These interactive mobile check-ins ask patients how they’re doing and guide them through each step of their medical journey by helping them prepare, setting daily expectations, supporting self-care recovery activities, anticipating their questions, and monitoring clinical areas of concern.

With this platform, care teams can gain a real-time view of a patient’s clinical status, both before and after procedures.

The Peri-Procedural Loop Program has had a positive impact on both patients and staff, providing patients with access to a more predictable, uniform, and multichannel patient, while allowing staff to focus on higher-level patient support, lowering the risk of ED visits, and reducing the risk of complications: 

What Patients Say

• “The results, the team cohesiveness, the before and after information, and the responsiveness to questions and concerns. The Peri-Procedural Loop and My Chart are great.” - Anonymous Patient

• “Promptness, constant communication, daily check-ins. I could go on and on. When he talks to me, I feel so lucky to have him as he reassures me and makes me feel so safe in his hands. He’s the best.” - Anonymous Patient

What Staff Say

“Having [Peri-Procedural Loop] as a tool has significantly improved my ability to connect with our patients in the perioperative period. It allows me to share essential information to prepare patients for surgery while developing a personal connection from our interactions. I am able to track my patients following surgery with ease and feel confident knowing that they have this additional platform to engage in.” – Rachael Wynne, Patient Navigator

What’s Next?

Future plans for the program include providing multi-language support to address the needs of a wider patient population, and integrating with EPIC to encourage more practices to adopt peri-procedural loops.

To learn more about the peri-procedural loops, contact [email protected] or [email protected].