• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

  • Opinion
  • Health IT
    • Behavioral Health
    • Care Coordination
    • EMR/EHR
    • Interoperability
    • Patient Engagement
    • Population Health Management
    • Revenue Cycle Management
    • Social Determinants of Health
  • Digital Health
    • AI
    • Blockchain
    • Precision Medicine
    • Telehealth
    • Wearables
  • Startups
  • M&A
  • Value-based Care
    • Accountable Care (ACOs)
    • Medicare Advantage
  • Life Sciences
  • Research

Penn Medicine, Medable Unveil CareKit App for Bariatric Surgery Patients

by Fred Pennic 12/04/2017 Leave a Comment

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print

Penn Medicine, Medable Unveil Apple CareKit-Powered App for Bariatric Surgery Patients

 Penn Medicine, today announced it is extending the use of mobile devices as a health tool to improve the patient experience and patient care by launching the Penn Life Gained app specifically for bariatric surgery patients at Penn Medicine, as part of the institution’s focus on mobile health and innovative research strategies. Developed by clinicians in the Bariatric Surgery Program and Penn’s Corporate Information Services team, in partnership with Medable, the app is built using the Apple CareKit framework will allow bariatric surgery patients to collate their health information—from apps including Apple Health App, as well as from third party programs and devices such as MyFitnessPal and LoseIt. This information can then be easily shared with the clinicians in Penn’s Bariatric Surgery Program.

For many patients on the road to bariatric surgery, the process may seem daunting: track steps and exercise, record caloric and water intake, monitor sleep time, alter diet, etc. Pair this daily lifestyle management with clinic appointments, evaluations, and the stress that often comes with any kind of surgery, and patients may become too overwhelmed to move forward with their goals. In fact, half of patients who seek a consultation about the surgery never wind up having the procedure. But with the launch of Penn Medicine’s first-of-its-kind app for bariatric surgery patients, many of these things will be taken care of automatically.

How It Works

Patients in the Bariatric Surgery Program who have an iPhone will be able to download the app via the App Store, and log in using a unique code that they receive from the clinical team. Once fully enrolled, patients can sync information from any other app that they use, such as fitness trackers or food logs along with Apple Health App, so all of their health information will be collected and organized in Penn Life Gained.

Penn Life Gained can easily monitor the patient’s pre- and post-surgery progress, help personalize clinic visits based on data collected from the app, assign “to-do’s” and manage personalized care plans, as well as spot areas of concern very quickly. While easing the overall experience for the patient is paramount, the team is focused on using the app to reduce the program’s attrition rate and 30-day hospital readmissions after surgery, and increase the patients’ overall weight loss.

“In the program right now, less than half of those who complete an initial visit eventually undergo surgery,” said Noel Williams, MD, director of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program in a statement. “If we can set our patients up with a resource that will break down the mountain of steps and tracking into easier to manage pieces, we believe they will be more likely to achieve their goals. Since we cannot see our patients every day, we’ve created a platform where our clinicians can be there to support them even after they leave the clinic.”

In the days and weeks following surgery, app users will be prompted to share their symptoms, including pain levels. If a patient reports that they are experiencing higher than expected pain levels, the patient is prompted to contact the office, and the clinicians are notified on the clinician app. If patients and the team can proactively identify worsening pain, and see the patient in clinic right away, the team is hoping they can reduce hospital readmissions, which often occur when patients go to the emergency room because of post-operative pain.

“Ultimately we are looking for ways to provide the best care to our patients before, during, and after surgery,” Williams added. “We believe this app will let us proactively help our patients achieve their goals in the program.”

As patients begin to engage with the app, the team plans to evaluate the impact as part of their research endeavors in the months and years to come. Penn Medicine is also continuing its collaboration with Apple and Medable to make enhancements to Penn Life Gained as it becomes more widely used, and to partner on projects within other clinical departments in the future.

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print

Tagged With: Apple CareKit, Bariatric Surgery, Medable, Penn Medicine

Tap Native

Get in-depth healthcare technology analysis and commentary delivered straight to your email weekly

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to HIT Consultant

Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox weekly.

Submit a Tip or Pitch

Featured Insights

2025 EMR Software Pricing Guide

2025 EMR Software Pricing Guide

Featured Interview

Paradigm Shift in Diabetes Care with Studio Clinics: Q&A with Reach7 Founder Chun Yong

Most-Read

Medtronic to Separate Diabetes Business into New Standalone Company

Medtronic to Separate Diabetes Business into New Standalone Company

White House, IBM Partner to Fight COVID-19 Using Supercomputers

HHS Sets Pricing Targets for Trump’s EO on Most-Favored-Nation Drug Pricing

23andMe to Mine Genetic Data for Drug Discovery

Regeneron to Acquire Key 23andMe Assets for $256M, Pledges Continuity of Consumer Genome Services

CureIS Healthcare Sues Epic: Alleges Anti-Competitive Practices & Trade Secret Theft

The Evolving Role of Physician Advisors: Bridging the Gap Between Clinicians and Administrators

The Evolving Physician Advisor: From UM to Value-Based Care & AI

UnitedHealth Group Names Stephen Hemsley CEO as Andrew Witty Steps Down

UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty Steps Down, Stephen Hemsley Returns as CEO

Omada Health Files for IPO

Omada Health Files for IPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Launches "CloseKnit" Virtual-First Primary Care Option

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Launches “CloseKnit” Virtual-First Primary Care Option

Osteoboost Launches First FDA-Cleared Prescription Wearable Nationwide to Combat Low Bone Density

Osteoboost Launches First FDA-Cleared Prescription Wearable Nationwide to Combat Low Bone Density

2019 MedTech Breakthrough Award Category Winners Announced

MedTech Breakthrough Announces 2025 MedTech Breakthrough Award Winners

Secondary Sidebar

Footer

Company

  • About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Reprints and Permissions
  • Submit An Op-Ed
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Editorial Coverage

  • Opinion
  • Health IT
    • Care Coordination
    • EMR/EHR
    • Interoperability
    • Population Health Management
    • Revenue Cycle Management
  • Digital Health
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Blockchain Tech
    • Precision Medicine
    • Telehealth
    • Wearables
  • Startups
  • Value-Based Care
    • Accountable Care
    • Medicare Advantage

Connect

Subscribe to HIT Consultant Media

Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox weekly

Copyright © 2025. HIT Consultant Media. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy |