Research published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery found that text messaging bots can improve clinical outcomes and increase patient engagement after knee or hip arthroplasty.
Researchers enrolled 159 patients in a randomized controlled trial comparing how effective a text messaging bot was to a traditional perioperative education process. Of the patients enrolled, 83 used the traditional method, and 76 used the bot.
The key research details to know:
1. Patients in the text messaging group exercised for 8.6 minutes more per day.
2. The text messaging group had an improved mood and stopping using narcotics 10 days earlier, called the surgeon's office less and had a greater range of motion than the traditional method group.
3. Both groups had an equal range of motion at six weeks.
Researchers concluded, "[A text messaging] bot can improve clinical outcomes and increase patient engagement in the early postoperative period in patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty."