Quality improvement through digital training therapy
AUVA Accident Hospital in Klagenfurt at WÖRTHERSEE
Digital pioneer of the AUVA Group: Modern training therapy at Unfallkrankenhaus Klagenfurt
As the home of the General Accident Insurance Institution (AUVA), Unfallkrankenhaus Klagenfurt at Wörthersee (UKH) belongs to the group of nine accident hospitals operated by AUVA. AUVA is an institution of Austrian social insurance and part of statutory accident insurance. According to therapy manager Christoph Oratsch, UKH is a small but modern and progressive hospital with inpatient and outpatient care options.
Physiotherapy represents an essential pillar of the clinic on Lake Wörthersee. The various areas of physiotherapy application help patients improve, restore or maintain their ability to move and function. In this way, complaints can be reduced. Physiotherapy serves as a sensible alternative or supplement to surgical or drug treatment.
Christoph Oratsch
Head of Therapy, AUVA Accident Hospital Klagenfurt
“Pixformance gives us huge time savings. We can more easily care for more patients, with the same staff resource.”
| Clinic Profile |
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| Location | Klagenfurt, Austria |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Main Focus | Trauma surgery, orthopedics |
| Patient Capacity | 100 beds |
| Therapy Direction | Christoph Oratsch |
| More Info | www.ukhklagenfurt.at |
The head of therapy at UKH has been interested in the various digital options in physiotherapy for some time. In conversation with us, he said:
“Digitization is often a topic of discussion among colleagues as well, but the final step towards implementation is often still missing. With the acquisition of the Pixformance stations last year, we at AUVA are now the first house with a digital product in therapy and are taking on a pioneering role. Of course, we are very proud of that.”
Oratsch does not see this step toward digitalization as a change but rather as an additional offering and thus an increase in quality for therapy. Before investing, the therapy manager and his team took part in a 6‑month trial to get a precise picture of the possibilities with Pixformance. In the end, they decided on four Pixformance stations. These are placed next to each other in a group therapy room and are primarily used in physiotherapy and individual cases for occupational therapy.
Demanding patient autonomy the digital way
Pixformance stations are used in both individual and group therapy. When the patient is admitted, it is first checked whether this type of training therapy with Pixformance is possible. This involves looking to see if the load and movement specifications are available from the surgical site. If this is not the case, the patient is first given definitive individual therapy.
However, if the patient meets the specifications, an individual training program is developed. This program is created and saved on the online platform with just a few clicks and can then be tested on the ward. The first training session takes place under therapeutic supervision. This ensures that the patient can clarify open questions about the station or the exercises and that the quality and settings of the exercises are rechecked. If everything fits, the patients can then train on their own in front of the station.
“Pixformance is a super support for us to carry out the classic home exercise program in a more targeted way. We have better training planning because the exercises can be set individually with the repetitions, difficulty levels, running time, etc., so that the patients do exactly what the therapist wants. In addition, the guidance provided by the short videos on the stations helps them immensely with exercise performance.”
In addition, the exercises are varied and go far beyond classic strength training, the therapy manager reports further.
“If you only print out exercises, patients often resist doing challenging exercises that are essential for the success of the therapy and put them on the back burner or skip them,” says Oratsch. Thanks to the virtual trainer’s guidance, patients are motivated to always perform their exercises correctly and cleanly. In this way, the patients’ independence is challenged, which in turn has a positive effect on the long-term success of the therapy.
Intensive patient care even beyond the hospital stay
In addition to on-site training in Klagenfurt, the Pixformance app is recommended to every patient. This is used primarily in the outpatient setting to consolidate the training therapy at home and support patients over the longer term.
Oratsch gives us an example of a young eleven-year-old patient whose family a COVID infection occurred during his therapy. Due to this, he was unable to come to the clinic for four weeks. Through the Pixformance app, he was still able to receive further guidance. Upon his return, significant progress was evident. Thanks to the app and the short videos of the exercises displayed there, there is a possibility of guidance that would not be possible only via telephone, as Christoph Oratsch confirms.
He is happy about the support of the app:
“Just recently, we accompanied a young lady tele-supported with the help of the Pixformance app after a shoulder operation. She then comes to the clinic once a week and does the rest of the therapy at home. That’s a great option for patients who are not so mobile.”
In general, the feedback from patients is very positive, interested, and curious about digital training therapy. The therapy manager even tells us about patients who request a training program of their own accord. In addition to the benefits for the patients, the therapists at UKH can also benefit from the digital support: “Pixformance saves us an enormous amount of time. We can care for more patients more easily, with the same personnel resources,” says Christoph Oratsch. He also praises the incredible customizability of the Pixformance exercises. This means that the right training program can be offered for all patients — from 18 to 75 years old and from cruciate ligament tears to shoulder injuries.
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