Cutting Hospital Stays with AI-driven Prehabilitation

NHS Black Country ICB is one of six Integrated Care Boards across the West Midlands, responsible for the health of 1.26 million people. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the region faced a growing elective surgery backlog — not simply a capacity problem, but a readiness one. Many patients arriving at the point of surgery were not physically or mentally prepared, leading to longer hospital stays, higher complication rates, and greater pressure on clinical teams.

Sword Intelligence was deployed at Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust as an initial proof of concept, identifying patients on the waiting list and engaging them through a structured digital pre-habilitation program ahead of intermediate-to-major elective procedures. Patients completed a health assessment on enrollment, which shaped their individual program structure. The goal was to shift preparation upstream — improving patients' physical fitness, nutrition, and activation before they ever reached the theatre.

The program was open to all adult patients awaiting intermediate or major elective surgery at the Trust. Of 1,131 invited patients, 320 (28%) enrolled and completed the program. Plans are now in place to extend the offering across the wider Black Country region.