For the study, researchers enrolled 71 patients diagnosed with metastatic peritoneal cancer and scheduled for surgical resection. Each patient received a Fitbit upon transfer from the intensive care unit following surgery, which they wore for the remainder of their inpatient stay.
The researchers found higher average steps per day — as recorded by each Fitbit — during the inpatient recovery period predicted lower risk of 30- and 60-day readmissions after surgery, according to study findings published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
“[The] results suggest that passively monitoring perioperative ambulation may identify patients at risk for readmission and highlight opportunities for behavioral intervention,” the study authors concluded.
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