Before choosing a Smart Knee implant, patients should ask what recovery data is collected, how it is transmitted, who can see it, how it is protected, whether it is shared with the treating care team, and how it would be used during follow-up. Privacy questions are not a reason to avoid the conversation. They are part of informed consent and practical planning.
The privacy conversation belongs in the consultation
Smart Knee technology is marketed around connected recovery information, so patients should understand the data pathway before deciding. A privacy conversation should be concrete. It should not stop at "the data is secure" or "the device is smart." The patient should know what type of information is being collected, whether the device is collecting location information, how information reaches the monitoring system, who has access, and whether the patient has any settings or consent choices.
Zimmer Biomet patient materials state that Persona IQ is not a GPS or location-tracking device. That is an important starting point, but it is not the whole privacy discussion. The patient should also ask whether the recovery data is visible to the surgeon, another care team, the manufacturer platform, or a remote monitoring service; how long the information is retained; and whether it will be used for anything beyond care follow-up.
Questions to write down
- What exact recovery metrics are collected by this implant system?
- Does the device collect location, audio, images, or other non-recovery information?
- Who can see the data: my surgeon, the practice, the manufacturer, a monitoring partner, or another party?
- How would my care team use the data if my recovery looked different from expected?
- What should I still call about even if recovery data is being collected?
- Can I get a copy of the privacy notice, consent language, or patient app terms before surgery?
- What happens if I do not want connected monitoring or if I stop using the related app or transmitter?
What the data should not replace
Connected recovery information is not a substitute for urgent symptom instructions. Patients still need to report fever, wound drainage, spreading redness, severe calf pain, chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden inability to bear weight, or other warning signs listed in their discharge instructions. A sensor reading cannot replace a wound check, a physical exam, X-rays when needed, or the patient's own report that something feels wrong.
It also should not replace therapy. Physical therapy and home exercises help restore motion, strength, balance, gait quality, and confidence. Recovery data may give another view of progress, but the plan still depends on what the patient can do safely, how the knee looks and feels, and what the surgeon and therapy team recommend.
How this connects to TJS care
Total Joint Specialists frames Smart Knee privacy as part of the larger knee replacement decision. First, the surgeon confirms whether knee replacement is appropriate at all. Then the patient and surgeon compare total knee replacement, partial knee replacement, alignment strategy, robotic assistance, implant system, recovery goals, and monitoring preferences. If connected data adds value and the patient is comfortable with the privacy terms, it may be worth considering. If it does not fit the patient or plan, a traditional knee replacement path may still be appropriate.
Questions patients ask
Does Persona IQ track my location?
Zimmer Biomet patient materials state that Persona IQ is not a GPS or location-tracking device. Patients should still ask what data is collected, transmitted, protected, and used before choosing the technology.
Should I ask who can see the data?
Yes. Ask whether the data is visible to the surgeon, practice team, manufacturer platform, remote monitoring partner, or any other party, and ask how that access supports care.
Can I still choose knee replacement without connected monitoring?
That depends on the surgical plan and implant choice. Patients should ask what alternatives exist if they are not comfortable with connected recovery monitoring.
Source support
This page is grounded in manufacturer patient information and orthopedic society education. Review Zimmer Biomet Persona IQ patient information, Zimmer Biomet Persona IQ product information, AAOS total knee replacement education, and AAHKS patient education.
Reviewed for patient education.
This page was reviewed by George N. Guild III, MD on June 17, 2026. It is reviewed at least annually and whenever major clinical guidance, source references, device information, privacy language, or practice facts change.
The content is educational and is not a substitute for an evaluation with an orthopedic surgeon who has reviewed your individual case.