Craig McAllister, President & CMO, SwiftPath Significant postoperative pain and prolonged rehabilitation are common after traditional joint replacement surgery. But what if it were possible to discharge patients within a few hours of surgery while actually improving the patient experience? Today SwiftPath is making the unthinkable a reality in joint replacement with their superior outpatient program. While interest in the outpatient delivery model has witnessed a steady rise in the U.S. because of reduced recovery time and cost, SwiftPath is charting a new pathway and setting a new standard in surgical outcomes. Apart from delivering quality clinical processes through minimally invasive techniques, improved pain management, and an early discharge, the SwiftPath program’s distinctive feature lies in its next-generation patient engagement and optimization model for enhanced recovery.
Realizing early on the need for evidence-based medicine in outpatient joint replacement, SwiftPath holds RoundTables where leading experts from around the country come together to collaborate on responsible innovation, using the Delphi method. One of the foremost concerns identified by the group was the need for comprehensive solutions that deliver seamless patient engagement. As a solution, SwiftPath devised a revolutionary new approach in rapid discharge joint replacement through patient engagement and education, non-narcotic pain management, home care and online reporting solutions. For active patient involvement, the SwiftPath platform integrates a surgeon-authored patient guide, JointCamps with family members, patient optimization, and shared decision-making with surgeons, patients, and caregivers.
In an era of value-based medicine where providers are held accountable for results, patients are increasingly turned away from surgery because of concerns about possible complications and readmissions. “The goal of SwiftPath is to treat the whole patient with a particular focus on patient optimization and identifying and managing pre-existing medical conditions,” explains Craig McAllister, President and CMO. In one case, we had a patient who was denied hip replacement because of risks of weight, diabetes, and lung problems—even though his hip caused severe, debilitating pain. After signing up with SwiftPath and completing his preoperative optimization process, the patient had complete information about his medical conditions and took full control of his health. He lost weight, kept his diabetes in check, managed his pulmonary issues and successfully underwent a joint replacement surgery, on an outpatient basis.
In this current wave of technology where the “Internet of Everything” is anticipated to integrate a more personalized approach in healthcare, SwiftPath combines the power of cloud monitoring and clinical excellence for next level patient care. The company’s cloud-based surgeon-centric platform uses innovative tools and dashboards for homecare monitoring. With real-time access to patient-reported outcomes, providers are able to make quick decisions and steer clear of complications. Timely interventions also allow SwiftPath to achieve one of their core values—to avoid narcotics as the mainstay of pain management. In addition, with full control over the programming of their platform, all solutions are designed to foster seamless collaboration from the first patient-surgeon interaction through post-operative recovery. “Our agile methodology and patient registration solutions improve efficiencies by automating repetitive activities around surgery schedules, and that was a huge step forward for us,” says McAllister.
SwiftPath is further advancing their cloud platform to allow patients to easily acquire less expensive durable medical equipment through e-commerce portals like Amazon. In addition, the company is enhancing patient engagement and access to care through online JointCamps and telehealth solutions. “So far our protocol driven approach combined with the power of the cloud has enabled us to achieve a high level of patient participation. Moving forward, we will continue to define and enhance the future of outpatient joint replacement through our unique programs,” ends McAllister.
