IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i19p10186-d645087.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Pilot Study of a Sensor Enhanced Activity Management System for Promoting Home Rehabilitation Exercise Performed during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Therapist Experience, Reimbursement, and Recommendations for Implementation

Author

Listed:
  • Veronica A. Swanson

    (Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA)

  • Vicky Chan

    (Department of Outpatient Physical Therapy, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868, USA)

  • Betsaida Cruz-Coble

    (Department of Outpatient Physical Therapy, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868, USA)

  • Celeste M. Alcantara

    (Department of Outpatient Physical Therapy, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868, USA)

  • Douglas Scott

    (Division of Rehabilitative Services, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868, USA)

  • Mike Jones

    (Virginia C. Crawford Research Institute, Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA)

  • Daniel K. Zondervan

    (Flint Rehabilitation Devices, LLC, Irvine, CA 92614, USA)

  • Naveen Khan

    (Pt Pal, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, USA)

  • Jan Ichimura

    (Department of Physical Therapy, Acute Rehabilitation Unit, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868, USA)

  • David J. Reinkensmeyer

    (Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
    Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, UC Irvine School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA)

Abstract

Adherence to home exercise programs (HEPs) during physical rehabilitation is usually unmonitored and is thought to be low from self-reports. This article describes exploratory implementation of a Sensor Enhanced Activity Management (SEAM) system that combines HEP management software with a movement sensor for monitoring and motivating HEP adherence. The article also presents results from attempting to gain reimbursement for home use of the system with therapist oversight using Remote Physiologic Monitoring (RPM) codes. Four therapists used the system in their regular practice during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therapists filled out surveys, kept notes, and participated in interviews. Billing and reimbursement data were obtained from the treatment facility. Exercise data from the SEAM system were used to understand HEP adherence. Patients were active for a mean of 40% (26% SD) of prescribed days and completed a mean of 25% (25% SD) of prescribed exercises. The therapists billed 23 RPM codes (USD 2353), and payers reimbursed eight of those instances (USD 649.21). The therapists reported that remote monitoring and the use of a physical movement sensor was motivating to their patients and increased adherence. Sustained technical support for therapists will likely improve implementation of new remote monitoring and treatment systems. RPM codes may enable reimbursement for review and program management activities, but, despite COVID-19 CMS waivers, organizations may have more success if these services are billed under supervision of a physician.

Suggested Citation

  • Veronica A. Swanson & Vicky Chan & Betsaida Cruz-Coble & Celeste M. Alcantara & Douglas Scott & Mike Jones & Daniel K. Zondervan & Naveen Khan & Jan Ichimura & David J. Reinkensmeyer, 2021. "A Pilot Study of a Sensor Enhanced Activity Management System for Promoting Home Rehabilitation Exercise Performed during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Therapist Experience, Reimbursement, and Recommendation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10186-:d:645087
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/19/10186/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/19/10186/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mike Jones & George Collier & David J. Reinkensmeyer & Frank DeRuyter & John Dzivak & Daniel Zondervan & John Morris, 2020. "Big Data Analytics and Sensor-Enhanced Activity Management to Improve Effectiveness and Efficiency of Outpatient Medical Rehabilitation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-13, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10186-:d:645087. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.