Special edition: Mobile apps may help reduce serious complications after surgery, study finds
Mobile apps that allow patients to report symptoms from home may help reduce serious complications after surgery, a new study has found. However, the benefits depend on whether healthcare professionals review the information and respond to warning signs.
The study, presented at the Anesthesiology 2026 annual meeting, pointed out the importance of monitoring patients during the days and weeks after surgery, when they leave hospital and have limited direct supervision from healthcare professionals.
According to Mouad Elganga, the study’s lead author, simply using a mobile app may not make recovery safer.
“The biggest benefit occurs when a clinician is actually reviewing what patients send and can act on it,” said Elganga, a medical student at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.
He advised patients to ask who reviews the information they submit, how quickly they can expect a response and what happens when symptoms suggest something is wrong.
The researchers analysed 38 studies involving 7,507 patients to determine whether mobile app-based monitoring could improve recovery after surgery.
Most of the programmes required patients to complete daily check-ins through a smartphone app or web portal, reporting symptoms such as pain, fever, nausea and changes in the appearance of their wounds.
Some programmes also used wearable fitness trackers and Bluetooth-enabled devices, including blood pressure monitors, thermometers and pulse oximeters, which measure oxygen levels in the blood.
The findings showed that patients enrolled in mobile app-based monitoring programmes had a 22 per cent lower risk of major postoperative complications than those receiving standard care. They also had a 22 per cent lower risk of visiting an emergency department and a 15 per cent lower risk of hospital readmission.
Patients using the programmes also reported less pain and anxiety, better physical function, improved quality of life and greater satisfaction with their care.
According to the study, the total number of complications did not decline significantly, suggesting that the technology may not prevent every problem that occurs during recovery.
Instead, the researchers suggested that monitoring could help healthcare teams identify concerning symptoms early, potentially preventing them from developing into serious complications requiring emergency treatment, intensive care, readmission or another operation.
Clinician involvement was particularly important. Readmissions declined only in programmes where a member of the surgical team or a nurse reviewed the information submitted by patients and could take action. Programmes without clinician review did not show a reduction in readmissions.
The findings suggest that hospitals and health systems considering mobile monitoring should invest not only in the technology but also in systems that enable healthcare professionals to assess patients’ reports and respond promptly to warning signs.
Instant analysis
Mobile health technology could help bridge the gap between hospital discharge and recovery at home, when patients may struggle to recognise warning signs or access timely medical attention. However, the study suggests that the technology alone is not enough. Its effectiveness depends on healthcare professionals reviewing patients’ reports and responding quickly to emerging problems. For health systems, including those in Kenya facing pressure on hospital resources, remote monitoring could offer an additional way to follow up with patients after surgery. However, its adoption would require reliable follow-up systems, clear response protocols and access to smartphones or alternative reporting methods.
