HIP Mobile: A Community-based Monitoring, Rehabilitation and Learning e-System for Patients Following a Fracture

Approximately 30,000 adults in Quebec over the age of 50 suffer a fragility fracture each year. Fractures can affect a person's health, well-being and autonomy. Personal costs of these fractures are high, with as many as 50% of hip fracture patients being unable to return their pre-fracture level of autonomy.

Homecare and community services provide customary rehabilitation support immediately following discharge from acute-care, though this contribution can be limited by lack of resources. For those patients at risk of negative outcomes, we have demonstrated clinically important benefits of extended exercise rehabilitation programs offered beyond the regular rehabilitation period on improving physical function.

Through advances in sensor and telecommunication technology, eHealth solutions incorporated within homecare services as an integral part of the continuum of care can lead to better patient and health professional experience, improve clinical outcomes and reduce costs to the healthcare system.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the implementation of a 3-month community-based extended-rehabilitation e-Monitoring and Coaching support program is more effective at improving mobility in community-dwelling elderly patients who have sustained a fracture than a printed material support program, and if these effects persist 6 months after discontinuation.