Fitbits have proved a useful predictive tool when deployed to monitor patient levels of postoperative exercise, a key component of recovery for many procedures, according to recent research from University of Pittsburgh.
For the study, researchers enrolled 71 patients diagnosed with metastatic peritoneal cancer and scheduled for surgical resection. Each patient received a Fitbit upon transfer from the intensive care unit following surgery, which they wore for the remainder of their inpatient stay.
The researchers found higher average steps per day — as recorded by each Fitbit — during the inpatient recovery period predicted lower risk of 30- and 60-day readmissions after surgery, according to study findings published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
"[The] results suggest that passively monitoring perioperative ambulation may identify patients at risk for readmission and highlight opportunities for behavioral intervention," the study authors concluded.