At its annual Ascend Summit, WebPT announced it was teaming up with Intel® to transform in-clinic physical therapy with advanced AI solutions. The two companies worked together to bring Intel® RealSense™ PT Metrics to the market, arming rehab therapists with an intuitive AI copilot to help improve their efficacy and profitability.
The technology includes AI-assisted, data-driven software and hardware that tracks and analyzes patient movements, range of motion and posture. The fully automated AI kiosk directs patients through their therapy routines with visual demonstration, while planned integration with WebPT’s electronic medical record (EMR) system automates charting, reduces administrative tasks and helps physical therapists manage more patients efficiently.
Here’s a deeper look into how WebPT and Intel expect this collaboration to improve outcomes for not only rehab therapy patients and providers but across the healthcare industry at large.
Patient-Centered Impact
Intel RealSense PT Metrics was designed to improve the patient experience for both the patient and the therapist. Physical therapy patients benefit from the AI copilot-assisted, data-driven approach to care that uses the same technology as elite athletes worldwide. This approach also enables physical therapists to access high-quality data that helps track patient progress throughout their care journey.
These in-clinic kiosks come with an integrated motion-tracking device and an interactive screen for direct feedback and progress tracking.
Technology
Following an early access program, Intel RealSense PT Metrics will be integrated into WebPT’s all-in-one, patient experience management (PXM) platform, which includes its EMR and enables progress tracking, exercise schedule building and reporting, supported by proprietary AI models.
Intel RealSense PT Metrics app draws on an impressive and constantly growing library of exercises and allows patient exercises to be quantified and measured more accurately.
Efficiency & Scalability
With this technology, patients can do prescribed exercises in front of the device and gain immediate feedback of their performance through precise movement tracking. This real-time analysis empowers patients to make necessary corrections, ensuring exercises are performed accurately. As a result, this tool promotes engagement and helps patients visualize their progress, significantly improving the effectiveness and motivation of their rehabilitation journey.
For physical therapists, Intel RealSense PT Metrics offers scalable benefits by promoting accurate execution of prescribed programs, thereby positively influencing patient outcomes. It facilitates the collection of objective data to justify treatment interventions and guide program adjustments, making it easier for practices to remain compliant while staying patient focused.
The integration with WebPT’s EMR will further alleviate administrative burdens by automating and simplifying patient record updates, allowing therapists to operate more efficiently and purposefully — crucial in today’s resource-constrained environment. This scalable solution will maximize the value clinics derive from their software and also positions them for growth while maintaining high standards of care.
Long-Term & Financial Impact
An internal study from Intel RealSense PT Metrics found that care has the potential to increase revenue per clinic by 25% and greatly expand the number of treatable patients per clinic. This collaboration will influence long-term outcomes by enabling continuous patient care through hybrid solutions. This collaboration aims to advance the use of technology in healthcare by increasing patient engagement, decreasing PTs’ workload, and boosting clinics’ profitability. The low upfront investment makes adopting this new technology easier for PT clinics.
By collaborating to bring Intel RealSense PT Metrics to market, Intel and WebPT are weaving cutting-edge technology with a commitment to patient-centered care. They share a vision to empower clinics to achieve long-term efficiency, scalability and profitability while creating a transformative win for patients, providers and the healthcare industry at large.
[Intel RealSense PT Metrics internal study, March 6, 2024, is available by request.]
Nick Smith is the vice president of product marketing at WebPT, the leading rehab therapy platform for Practice Experience Management (PXM).
