Award Date: 2018

Project Lead(s): Philip Pace, Manager Partnerships and Customer Solutions

Project Title: SWORD Phoenix - The Standard of Care for the Next 50 Years of the Rehabilitation Industry

What is the issue?

There is a growing need for better access to rehabilitation services. Wait times for standard care through in-person sessions are increasing. Home care represents an opportunity to help more people access effective care.   

What did we do?

SWORD Phoenix is a digital platform that allows individuals to perform rehabilitation exercises at home while trained professionals monitor them remotely. The platform has been proven effective for preventing low-back pain and reducing the risk of falls in people at risk.  

We conducted clinical studies to demonstrate the benefits of the platform compared to in-person rehabilitation, the standard of care in Canada. We asked 50 patients to perform rehabilitation exercises as prescribed while registered physical therapists monitored them remotely. The platform tracked patients’ improvements in the range of motion for each activity.  

What did we find?

Study participants were highly satisfied with the platform and liked doing exercises at home. The average five-day adherence and completion rates were 92 percent and 82 percent, respectively. The program user interface was well designed. 

The remote aspect of the program shows potential for addressing the growing need to find cost-effective ways to allow more people to access rehabilitation.