ASENSEI is partnering with NHS Lothian and Queen Margaret University to demonstrate the feasibility of providing pre-operative care to patients through digital delivery of pre-habilitation programs designed by the physiotherapy team at Queen Margaret University.

Pre-habilitation has been shown to prevent or reduce complications following surgery. By giving patients the functional reserve to withstand the stresses of surgery, there are 3 key benefits to both patients and the health service providing their care:

• Improved surgical outcomes, including a reduction in the rate of post-operative complications.
• A reduction in the length of time patients are required to stay in hospital post surgery
• A reduction in the associated hospital costs

"Prehabilitation programs are relatively rare, with cost of delivering physiotherapy being the major barrier. Being able to deliver these programs digitally, within the narrow window of opportunity between say a cancer diagnosis and planned surgery, while helping patients avoid lengthy commutes and the higher risk of COVID-19 related infections before surgery, could deliver a better level of care, to more people, for less cost.”

- Graeme Couper, Consultant Surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh