Postoperative monitoring apps reduce emergency visits and complications

Mobile app-based monitoring may help address the vulnerable days and weeks after surgery when recovery shifts from the hospital to home with little direct supervision. Patients using mobile apps had lower risk of serious complications, emergency room visits and readmissions after surgery, but the benefits depended on physician or other clinician involvement, rather than the technology alone, according to research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY^® 2026 annual meeting.

Just using an app may not make recovery safer. The biggest benefit occurs when a clinician is actually reviewing what patients send and can act on it. Patients should ask: 'Who is looking at this information, how quickly will they respond and what happens if something looks wrong?'"

Mouad Elganga, B.S., lead author of the study and medical student, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

The study authors analyzed 38 studies involving 7,507 patients to determine whether mobile app-based home monitoring improved recovery after surgery. The programs varied, but most asked patients to complete daily check-ins on a smartphone or web portal, reporting symptoms such as pain, fever, nausea and wound appearance. Some programs also used wearable fitness trackers or Bluetooth-enabled devices such as blood pressure cuffs, thermometers or pulse oximeters, which measure blood oxygen levels.

The authors found patients in mobile app-based monitoring programs had a:

• 22% lower risk of major postoperative complications,
• 22% lower risk of emergency room visits and
• 15% lower risk of hospital readmission compared to patients receiving standard postoperative care.

Patients also reported less pain and anxiety, better physical function, improved quality of life and greater satisfaction.

However, total number of complications did not significantly decline. This suggests that mobile app-based monitoring may not prevent every postoperative problem, but may help catch concerning symptoms before they escalate into major postoperative complications requiring emergency or intensive care, readmission, a procedure or reoperation. Physician or other clinician involvement appeared to be key. Readmissions were lower only when a surgical team member or nurse reviewed patient-submitted information and could act on it, while programs without clinician review showed no reduction.

The findings suggest health systems considering mobile app-based monitoring should focus not only on the technology, but also on ensuring clinicians review patient-submitted information and respond promptly to concerning symptoms. Patients should ask who is monitoring the information they submit and what the protocol is if something looks wrong. When a clinician is reviewing the information, using the mobile app consistently may help the care team identify problems before they become emergencies.