TELEREHABILITATION

COMMERCIALIZATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS OF THE FIRST FACULTY OF MEDICINE, CHARLES UNIVERSITY, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Registration number: CZ.07.1.02/0.0/0.0/17_049/0000828

The project is funded by Operational Programme Prague – CR Growth Pole, call No. 32 for support of technology and knowledge transfer from research organizations into practice.

The project is focused on commercialization of research outputs.

VALIDATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY CONCEPT FOR INCREASED PERSONAL SECURITY DURING THE DISTANT CARE IN PHYSIOTHERAPY AREA

TELEREHABILITATION

Physical activity represents an integral part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Beside maintaining physical fitness, it plays a role in mental well-being and decreases the risk of occurrence of chronic diseases. Of the same importance is maintaining the physical activity in various life phases or during diseased conditions (neurodegenerative or psychiatric disorders or other chronic diseases), when the reduced activity and use of some therapeutics lead to undesirable occurrence of obesity, diabetes, and other dangerous comorbidities.

Potentially dangerous comorbidities from the lack of movement or, vice versa, excessive physical activity may threaten patients of rehabilitation centres who suffered an injury or underwent surgery of the locomotor or nervous system.

For many reasons, it is desirable to supervise adherence to the therapeutic plan and performance of the set-up level of physical activity even after discharge from the outpatient care. It is the only way to ensure subsequent adequate rehabilitation in the home environment and guarantee return to the routine life, thus preventing optional worsening of prognoses for some patients.

Based on the knowledge of the particular patient’s history, the attending physician or physiotherapist is able to establish the recommended level of activities and possible physical load in the form of a therapeutic plan. This plan, with the help of the tested technology, can then be monitored and in case of problems, the patient can be informed in time on the increased level of risk due to non-adherence to the recommended values. Using the technology, the personal security can be significantly increased.

Technology description

The technology is based on the principles of telemedicine – movement sensors, wristbands and other wearables with subsequent digital transfer of data and eHealth infrastructure, including recording of selected and statistical data into the patients’ files of the hospital information systems. The patient’s device comprises a stabilometric platform, a wrist pedometer and a tablet with installed programme for executing the therapeutic plan. For the purposes of distant rehabilitation in a broader context, the system can integrate other elements into distance therapy allowing supervision of the correct performance of the rehabilitation exercises. Beside basic data on the level of movements and their frequency (number of steps, distance), the system also comprises specialized aids to monitor the number of completed exercises, elements for evaluation of the quality of performed rehabilitation and monitoring of adherence to the treatment regimen. Overall, they represent sensors and devices allowing measurement and therapy of stability, mobile application allowing assessment of the mobility of individual limbs, application for training of cognitive functions, etc. Selected data from the home exercises are transmitted to the patient’s electronic card with the possibility of automatic transfer to the hospital information system of the attending healthcare centre.

How the patient will benefit:

  • Everyday therapy in the comfort of home
  • Individual treatment regimen according to the patient’s needs
  • Possibility of distant communication with the physiotherapist
  • Entertaining form of exercises, motivation, and monitoring of the locomotor activity
  • Complete record of the underwent therapy
  • Comparison of the health condition before and after the therapy

Course of distance therapy:

  • The patient comes for entrance examination and obtains equipment needed for starting the therapy
  • Based on the examination by a physiotherapist, an individual exercise schedule is established
  • The therapy is performed by the patient using a platform and a tablet with therapeutic game situations
  • A wrist pedometer helps improve the patient’s physical fitness and monitors his/her overall activity
  • During the home therapy, the measured data can be transmitted to the on-line system and subsequently evaluated by a therapist
  • The system allows distant adaptation of the therapy demands according to the abilities of each patient
  • During the closing examination, the physiotherapist assesses improvement of the patient’s health condition

Innovative solution

The technology allows distant personalized setting of the load and complexity of the performed exercises and subsequent check of adherence to the prescribed limits without the need of a physical visit of a medical centre by the patient.

The personal security of patients discharged to the home care, who need further rehabilitation and physio-training, is increased. Connection of the technology to the surveillance desk allows timely information of the patients in case of exceeding the set up limits of exercises or non-adherence to these limits. The technology implements standardized communication interface allowing connection to hospital information systems. Connection of the telemedical system to the assistance desk, which is available in the 24/7 regime, brings a benefit by providing nonstop support not only technical, but also professional in the form of guided instructions.

Who will use the solution

Patients of various rehabilitation centres who suffered an injury or underwent surgery of the locomotor or nervous system. Specialists, practitioners, physiotherapists, or other professional staff in medical centres, care homes or health resorts.

Users can include clinics, outpatient departments and their clients undergoing rehabilitation for various reasons, where the attending staff will welcome technological advances in the care, electronization of the procedures and support of home therapy provided at a distance. The technology will bring better quality of care and improvement in the quality of life of patients suffering from a wide range of handicaps, including increased comfort of life of their families.

Our team

Our team includes top specialists in development of healthcare telemedical technologies, computer programmers, testers, consultants, and students, who support the entire team and bring novel, innovative ideas. Our team has long-lasting experience in interdisciplinary collaboration at the border of medicine, technique and technology for supporting personal health. Beside experienced professionals with long-term practice, the team also includes a group of young and enthusiastic people aged up to 35 years.

 


CONTACTS:

Scientific guarantor: Ing. Jan Kašpar / jan.kaspar@lf1.cuni.cz

Contact for clinical trials: Bc. Kateřina Pilátová / homebalance@albertov.cz

Contact for commercial partners: Ing. Vojtěch Malina / vojtech.malina@lf1.cuni.cz

Phone: +420 774 651 393


Project registration number: CZ.07.1.02/0.0/0.0/17_049/0000828

Call number: 07_17_049

Governing body: Capital city of Prague

Recipient: Charles University