The new flagship project, “Prehab2Rehab,” is an Austria-wide initiative that aims to digitally transform healthcare in connection with planned surgical procedures. The goal is to digitally and systematically link the previously separate phases of prehabilitation and rehabilitation to improve treatment outcomes, enhance quality of life, and ensure the sustainability of the healthcare system.

Thanks to medical advances, surgical procedures have improved significantly in recent decades. However, demographic changes, declining physical fitness, and rising comorbidities present new challenges to the healthcare system. One effective approach to preventive support is prehabilitation, which involves preparing patients for planned surgeries through training, nutrition, psychological support, and other measures, such as smoking cessation and Patient Blood Management.

However, prehabilitation has not yet been systematically implemented in Austria, and existing services are not well-connected to subsequent rehabilitation.

Project objective: Holistic care through digital support

This is precisely where Prehab2Rehab comes in. The project aims to use digital technologies to provide continuous, personalized care throughout the entire patient journey, from surgery preparation to rehabilitation.

Digital tools, such as telehealth applications, sensor technology, mobile training apps, and information platforms, are used to provide flexible, location-independent support to patients. These tools promote communication with the treatment team and help implement therapy plans effectively.

Implementation: Research meets practice

The project employs a multi-stage approach in three core medical areas: knee replacement surgery, liver and gallbladder surgery, and heart surgery:

• Care Analysis: Identification of critical interfaces in the patient pathway
• Concept Development: Creation of indication-specific prehabilitation approaches
• Use of Technology: Integration of proven digital tools
• Feasibility Studies: Piloting digital interventions under real conditions
• Evaluation: Assessment of medical effectiveness, acceptance, and economic impact
• Utilization: Preparing for the scalable integration of digital interventions into standard care

Social and economic benefits

Prehab2Rehab offers advantages on many levels:

• For patients: Better recovery, fewer complications, and an improved quality of life
• For the healthcare system: shorter hospital stays, lower follow-up costs

The digital components are proven in practice but have never before been integrated at such a complex level in a care pathway. The project’s long-term goal is to serve as a model for Austria and similar healthcare systems to integrate digital prehabilitation concepts into regular care.

Interdisciplinary partners in the consortium

The interdisciplinary consortium comprises renowned institutions from the fields of science, medicine, and technology. These include three Ludwig Boltzmann Institutes, Salzburg Research, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg University Hospital, the Medical University of Vienna, and the Bad Vigaun Rehabilitation Center. Several technology companies are also included: LOIDL Consulting & IT Services GmbH, Alphaport OG, MOTUM GmbH & Co. KG, stAPPtronics GmbH, REDOX GmbH, and RedLink GmbH.

To the project website: prehab2rehab.at