Dive Brief:
- Wearables company Whoop and Kinomatic struck a partnership around recovery after orthopedic procedures.
- The 12-week pilot program will incorporate biometric data and increased support between visits after joint replacement surgery.
- Through the pilot, the companies hope to demonstrate that a data-informed recovery model can improve outcomes, reduce opioid use and lead to faster recovery.
Dive Insight:
After a knee or hip replacement surgery, patients might have a follow-up appointment at two weeks and physical therapy a few times a week. Through the pilot program, called Restore, Whoop and Kinomatic hope to provide more support after a procedure and give physicians insight into how their patients are recovering.
Whoop and Kinomatic will run the pilot across three clinics in California, with more than 100 people participating. The goal is to have better outcomes, measured by range of motion in knee and hip flexion, and reduced opioid use. The results will be measured at two weeks after surgery, with another follow-up after one year.
Whoop, which makes wrist-based fitness trackers, will allow surgeons and patient navigators to view patients’ heart rate variability, sleep, strain and recovery data in between visits. Kinomatic makes surgical planning software, and plans to provide clinics a concierge service they can offer after procedures with the pilot.
The companies struck the partnership amid a broader focus on wearables and biometrics. The Food and Drug Administration earlier this year loosened its oversight of some software features, such as allowing blood pressure measurements to fall under its wellness exemption. Meanwhile, orthopedics manufacturers are testing biometrics in measuring recovery, with Zimmer Biomet incorporating sensors into certain knee implants offered with a care management platform.
