Impact of an automated peri-procedural digital health intervention on rates of emergency department visits and readmissions

Providing timely peri-procedural education, reminders, and check-ins can improve patient adherence and clinical outcomes. We sought to retrospectively evaluate the impact of a peri-procedural digital health tool on emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions. A digital health tool for peri-procedural care engaged patients at scheduled intervals, resulting in an overall engagement score. Multivariate models determined predictors of tool engagement and post-procedural 30- and 90-day rehospitalizations and ED visits. 11,737 unique completed procedures were analyzed from 10,438 patients. Patients of Black and Latinx race/ethnicity (vs White), those with Medicare and Medicaid insurance (vs commercial), and those with non-activated patient portals (vs activated) were less likely to engage. After adjustment for confounders, higher engagement with the tool was associated with lower rates of 30-day hospitalizations (OR 0.64), 90-day hospitalizations (OR 0.65), and 90-day ED visits (OR 0.77). Highly engaged patients had fewer 30-day and 90-day ED visit and readmissions, even after adjustment for key confounders. Engagement, and thus the resulting benefits, were not equitably distributed. •Digital periprocedural navigation programs have the potential to reduce complications after surgery and unnecessary resource utilization.•Patients highly engaged with a peri-procedural mobile health tool had improved 30-day and 90-day clinical outcomes, even after adjustment for key confounders, including being 34% less likely to be hospitalized within 30 days, 33% less likely to be hospitalized within 90 days, and 25% less likely to have an ED visit within 90 days.•However, engagement and thus the resulting benefits were not equitably seen across all demographics.