Niagara Health has launched a new digital platform to improve patient outcomes and surgical care experiences before and after hip, knee, shoulder, bowel and transurethral resection of the prostate surgeries.

Called SeamlessMD, the digital platform guides patients with personalized education materials, reminders, progress tracking, post-surgery symptom monitoring and other services. Available on smartphones, tablets and computers, the tool aims to improve recovery outcomes, reduce hospital stays and readmissions, and Emergency Department visits. The app is monitored by a nurse navigator, which allows for questions and concerns to be addressed at a patient’s fingertips and alleviates the need to wait for an appointment or visit the hospital.

Patients using SeamlessMD can self-report data related to their surgery, including any pain they are feeling, how easily they can move around and range of motion following surgery. They can also remotely share photos of their wounds with their Niagara Health surgical care team members. Based on these reports, surgical teams can provide personalized care recommendations and faster intervention, if necessary. SeamlessMD is also available in French.

“The goal of SeamlessMD is to ensure patients receive the most appropriate care before surgery and to monitor their recovery to optimize positive outcomes and enhance the patient experience,” says Jaelynne Sonke, Director of Patient Care, Surgical Services. “The platform monitors post-operative surgical patients by providing them with a daily health checklist and survey, and patients have a virtual link to their physician, which allows access to their caregiver when they require any additional support. We’re happy that patient feedback about the service has been very positive so far.”

Since going live in March 2022, 1,204 patients have enrolled with the platform, with almost all sharing that the program helped them feel more confident before surgery and that they would recommend the tool to others.

“The program itself is great, not only for the patient but for their family, if they’re involved in their care,” says Dina Rubino, whose mother-in-law, Teresa, registered with SeamlessMD for support before and after her knee replacement surgery. “You’re not asking all these questions and Googling for answers. It lays out everything that you need to know.”