GaitSmart Rehabilitation Exercise Programme for Gait and Mobility Issues: A NICE Medical Technologies Guidance

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Digital Health Technology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• GaitSmart is a CE-marked, sensor-based digital technology measuring lower limb movement.
• It aims to identify gait problems and provide personalized rehabilitation via the vGym app.
• Target users include individuals referred for knee/hip replacement and those at risk of falling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the clinical applicability and potential benefits of GaitSmart for gait and mobility issues.
• To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of GaitSmart in different care pathways.
• To understand patient and clinical expert perspectives on the technology.

Main Methods:

• Review of limited clinical evidence and variability in comparators and care pathways.
• Economic modeling from a UK National Health Service perspective.
• Consideration of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendations.

Main Results:

• Limited clinical evidence with significant variability in study comparators and care pathways.
• Patients reported liking the technology's reports and finding them helpful.
• Economic modeling indicated GaitSmart is cost-saving, especially when delivered by healthcare assistants, though uncertainty exists for the falls model.
• NICE recommended GaitSmart for adults at risk of falls, pending further evidence.

Conclusions:

• GaitSmart has the potential to improve patient outcomes and can be utilized in community settings by various healthcare professionals.
• Cost-saving potential is evident, particularly in staff time, but depends on the standard care model.
• Further evidence is required, especially for the falls pathway, while access for hip/knee replacement patients requires specific funding routes.