News: Higher step counts tied to better surgical outcomes, study finds

According to a recent study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS), postoperative physical activity levels measured by wearable devices were significantly associated with key surgical outcomes, including length of stay, complications, and readmissions. Postoperative step counts may also be a stronger predictor of surgical recovery than heart rate variability (HRV) or patient-reported wellness scores.

Researchers analyzed data from the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program and identified 1,965 adults who underwent inpatient surgery and had at least 30 days of wearable device data available before and after their procedures. The study evaluated whether changes in daily step counts, HRV, and self-reported wellness scores were associated with postoperative outcomes.

The results showed that higher postoperative step counts were consistently linked to improved recovery. For every additional 1,000 steps per day above a patient’s preoperative baseline, patients experienced shorter hospital stays and lower odds of both 30-90-day complications. Increased activity was also associated with reduced 30- and 90-day readmission rates.

Changes in HRV and patient-reported wellness scores, on the other hand, were not significantly associated with any of the postoperative outcomes studied.

Authors concluded that postoperative step counts emerged as the most actionable measure of recovery and may offer greater prognostic value than HRV or subjective wellness assessments. The findings support the potential integration of wearable technology into Enhanced Recovery After Surgery programs. These would use objective activity data to monitor recovery and identify patients who may be at increased risk for complications or readmission.

Editor’s note: To read the full study, click here. To read additional coverage from JustCoding, click here.