Sapien Health: Coaching for pre and post surgery

About

Problem: Patients on the surgical waiting list (which is expected to reach 10M people as a result of Covid) are not being optimised in the lead-up to surgery. Research shows proper optimisation has a dramatic impact on surgical outcomes (ie length of stay, readmission rates and avoidable complication rates following surgery). The NHS spends £4bn each year on avoidable costs related to surgery.

Solution: Sapien helps solve this problem with a mobile app-based behavioural intervention for patients undergoing elective surgery. The programme utilises personalised digital guidance and remote health coaching to optimise patients preoperatively, and support their recovery during the postoperative phase. 

Benefits: By getting patients in the best physical, mental and medical shape before and after their surgery, the risk of complications is reduced. Sapien puts patients at the centre of their own care and empowers them with the knowledge, confidence and skills to better self-manage in future, thereby reducing reliance on public health services. Literature on the impact of various digital technologies in the perioperative space suggests an estimated cost saving of £916 per patient is obtainable. Technology has been shown to reduce surgery cancellations by 29 per cent, outpatient DNAs by 29 per cent, length of stay by 25 per cent, A&E attendances by 47 per cent and 30-day readmissions by 45 per cent, representing a significant saving for the NHS.