Healthcare providers who used a virtual rehabilitation platform to deliver physical therapy following total knee replacement (TKR) surgery saved an average of $2,745 per patient compared to traditional in-office physical therapy sessions, according to results from the VERITAS study.

The randomly controlled “Virtual Exercise Rehabilitation In-Home Therapy: A Research Study” (VERITAS) study was conducted by Reflexion Health in conjunction with the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI). It compared virtual physical therapy delivered via Reflexion Health’s Virtual Exercise Rehabilitation Assistant (VERA) with traditional physical therapy.

“Physical therapy is a critical component of recovery for patients following total joint replacement surgery. As people live longer and these surgeries become more common, it is important to identify solutions that maintain or improve outcomes while decreasing the burden on patients and providers,” says Janet Prvu Bettger, PhD, associate professor with the Duke Department of Orthopedic Surgery and principal investigator of the study, in a media release from Reflexion Health.

“We are pleased with the results of the study, which show that Reflexion Health’s VERA coupled with remote clinician oversight, is a cost-effective paradigm for physical therapy—one that is more convenient for patients while providing clinicians greater insight into the recovery process,” she adds.

The multi-center, randomized controlled trial enrolled 306 adult participants scheduled for TKR surgery at four US sites. Among the consented participants, 287 completed the trial. The treatment group concluded with 143 adults who received Reflexion Health’s VERA both pre- and post-surgery, compared with a control group of 144 adults who received traditional in-home or clinic-based physical therapy at participating sites. Clinical outcomes, health service use, and costs were examined for 3 months after surgery.

The study results demonstrated an average cost savings of $2,745 per patient for those who received virtual physical therapy using VERA technology with clinical oversight when compared to usual care with traditional physical therapy. Virtual physical therapy met its secondary effectiveness endpoints of non-inferiority for reducing disability and improving knee function. Compared with usual care, safety endpoints for patients with virtual physical therapy were similar, the release explains.

“VERITAS provides the highest level of evidence that VERA is a more cost-effective, patient-centered alternative to traditional care,” states Joseph Smith, MD, PhD, chief executive officer of Reflexion Health, in the release. “The strength of these results should give providers and payors the proof they need to adopt VERA.”

For more information about the VERA platform and the study, visit Reflexion Health.

[Source(s): Reflexion Health, PR Newswire]