Transforming post-operative care: SWLEOC & Recovery virtual ward

The South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC), in partnership with Definition Health, has transformed post-operative care for patients through the implementation of the Definition Recovery virtual ward. In addition to enabling remote monitoring and personalised recovery journeys, the virtual ward’s wound management capabilities have significantly improved patient safety, reducing infection rates and ensuring timely intervention for complications. Together, SWLEOC and Definition Health have addressed critical challenges, reducing follow-up delays, optimising clinic capacity, and enhancing both patient and staff satisfaction - all while contributing to the NHS’s sustainability goals and creating a scalable model for wider adoption.

Challenge 

SWLEOC, as a leading centre of excellence for orthopaedic care, faced pressure on outpatient capacity due to increasing referrals, compounded by the pandemic backlog and industrial action. The traditional care model involved routine follow-ups six weeks post-surgery, but delays meant patients often waited much longer.

The challenges were multifaceted. Long waiting times for consultant reviews made it difficult to address needs in a timely manner. Limited oversight of recovery delayed opportunities for early intervention when complications arose. Additionally, in-person follow-ups for all patients stretched clinical resources and required many patients to travel unnecessarily, contributing to higher carbon emissions and additional costs.

Solution 

SWLEOC partnered with Definition Health to implement the Definition Recovery virtual ward. This digital platform allows clinical teams to remotely monitor patients for the first six weeks post-surgery, enabling timely, personalised interventions and reducing the burden on outpatient clinics.

Patients complete weekly online recovery diaries, reporting pain levels, wound healing, and mobility while uploading wound images and videos. The entries are RAG-rated, enabling clinicians to quickly identify and address urgent cases. Advanced nurse practitioners use these insights to conduct six-week assessments and create personalised follow-up plans, often using patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) pathways.

Impact 

Over a three-month period, the implementation of a virtual ward solution delivered measurable benefits across clinical efficiency, patient outcomes, and sustainability:

• Enhanced clinical efficiency: Consultant waiting times reduced from 16 to 12 weeks. The new-to-follow-up ratio was adjusted from 50:50 to 60:40, enabling more patients to be seen at the ideal six-week mark​
  
  
• Improved patient outcomes: Early detection of complications reduced readmission rates for total hip replacements (4.7%) and total knee replacements (4%), both below national medians. Infection rates decreased further to 0.5% for hip replacements and 0.3% for knee replacements​
  
  
• Cost and resource savings: 93% of patients transitioned to PIFU pathways, saving 520 consultant clinic slots annually and generating £56,000 in financial savings. Twelve clinic sessions were converted to theatre sessions, enabling 35 additional surgeries in three months
  
  
• Sustainability gains: Avoiding in-person follow-ups for 520 patients saved 1,120kg of carbon emissions, aligning with NHS sustainability goals​
  
  
• Patient satisfaction: 100% of patients surveyed felt reassured that their recovery was closely monitored, and 99% found the recovery diary easy to use​

“SWLEOC and Definition Health have worked very closely to develop a remote monitoring post-operative pathway that is much safer, and more interactive and efficient for patients. The two-way conversation really alleviates patients’ anxiety, and they have confidence in their recovery. The clinical team is able to identify and escalate any concerns immediately, and the patient has access to the right clinician at the right time, with significant improvement in outpatient clinic capacity.”

Strategic Lead, SWLEOC Boudine Pearce