{
  "abstract": "Postoperative complications and readmissions remain common after cardiac surgery, and intermittent manual vital-sign checks leave patients unmonitored for much of the recovery period. We implemented a phygital care pathway combining enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols, and 21-day continuous remote monitoring (heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation) with daily review and escalation to a cardiac surgeon when indicated. Quality of recovery (QoR-15) was assessed on preoperative days −1 and postoperative days 3 and 7, and patient-reported experience measurement (PREM) on day 30. Outcomes in 221 monitored patients (May-November 2025) were compared, retrospectively, with a historical, non-monitored cohort of 206 patients. In the monitored patients, a good-to-excellent QoR increase from 25% to 56% between days 3 and 7 was noticed. Seventy-five patients (34%) required 98 interventions, most commonly primary-care referral or medication adjustment. Thirty-day readmission (12.7% vs 12.1%, Fisher P = .88) and mortality (0.45% vs 1.4%, Fisher P = .36) did not differ significantly from the control cohort; the monitored group was significantly younger (66.7 vs 70.1 years, P = .0004), reflecting probable selection bias from smartphone and digital-literacy eligibility criteria. Patient-reported experience measurement scores were high (>91%). This pilot demonstrates the feasibility of a digital, patient-centred cardiac surgical pathway; readmission and mortality findings are hypothesis-generating and require prospective confirmation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "brief report",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Guylian Stevens",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6689-2847"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jelle Fleerakkers"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jules François"
    },
    {
      "name": "Phillippe Ballaux"
    },
    {
      "name": "Koen Cathenis"
    },
    {
      "name": "Pascal Verdonck"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2ewrjny1f4m9f.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1093/icvts/ivag253",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13730546/",
  "id": "2ewrjny1f4m9f",
  "issns": [
    "2753-670X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivag253",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/MED00920"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Brief Communications"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Eacts/117"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Eacts/123"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "General Interest"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2746|Enhanced Recovery After Surgery"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7212365752",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13730546",
  "pmid": "42728641",
  "published": "2026-09-11",
  "publisher": "Oxford University Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2ewrjny1f4m9f.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-07T12:23:04Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13730546",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivag253"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2746|Enhanced Recovery After Surgery",
      "subfield": "surgery"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A Digital, Patient-Centred Carepath for Cardiac Surgical Care With Continuous Remote Patient Monitoring",
  "title_text": "A Digital, Patient-Centred Carepath for Cardiac Surgical Care With Continuous Remote Patient Monitoring",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-07T12:23:04Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2ewrjny1f4m9f",
  "venue": "Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery",
  "versions": []
}