Online communication possibilities in managing the rehabilitation process after joint arthroplasty

Introduction. The study’s relevance is determined by the necessity to develop an effective organizing tool that provides management of the rehabilitation process after joint arthroplasty. Purpose. Study of online communication possibilities in managing the process of patients’ rehabilitation after joint arthroplasty in their motivation to maintain labour activity. Material and methods. In 2019-2020 with the System of interactive personalized monitoring and feedback (SMF) developed as a web application it was conducted a medical and sociological study which included 93 patients underwent hip and knee arthroplasty six months before.. Results. It is revealed an unsatisfactory assessment of rehabilitation provided at the place of patients’ residence (34.4% noted the absence of rehabilitation measures, 12.9% noted a formal extension of disability certificate). Expected results of rehabilitation are associated with overcoming pain and limitation in movements (49.5%) and a return to previous professional duties (32.3%). 77.4% of patients expressed interest in using the online service for communication with a qualified specialist. Significant functions of online service for respondents are: monitoring the rehabilitation process and individual recommendations (50.5%); receiving online consultation (41.9%). 95.7% of patients confirmed their readiness to follow online recommendations regarding rehabilitation. Discussion. Lack of comprehensive rehabilitation is a significant medical and socio-economic constraint at the institutional and individual levels. Studies of organizational parameters of the rehabilitation process indicate a discrepancy between the expectations of patients and their actual state. Analysis of the results proves that it is advisable to supplement existing rehabilitation practice after providing resource-intensive medical care with the functionality of online communication. Conclusion. Developed online communication service is an effective tool for managing the rehabilitation of patients after joint replacement that is relevant for developing their labour activity motivation.