University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust has partnered with QuestPrehab to launch a one-year trial delivering digital prehabilitation services to liver patients.
The trial, which started on 5 July 2024 at the South West Liver Unit, aims to support 50 patients awaiting liver transplants in Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset. Participants will have access to personalized digital programs on the QuestPrehab platform, including exercise classes and support sessions tailored to their needs.
Professor Matthew Cramp, consultant hepatologist at the South West Liver Unit, emphasized the importance of providing prehab services to liver transplant patients to improve their outcomes and quality of life.
The trial focuses on reducing anxiety levels and improving liver frailty scores, with the goal of exploring the benefits of remote prehab delivery. If successful, the service may be extended to patients with other liver diseases.
Founder of QuestPrehab, Professor Tara Rampal, highlighted the anxiety patients face while waiting for a liver transplant and the personalized program designed to alleviate this stress and improve their overall well-being.
Evaluation of the trial will be based on patient-reported outcomes and physical assessment scores. QuestPrehab has previously announced successful contracts for digital prehab services in China, showcasing the global impact of such initiatives.
Other healthcare providers, such as One Wirral CIC and Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System, have also implemented prehab programs to improve patient care and outcomes.
