The ZGT Hospital in Almelo NL monitors patients remotely with Isansys’ wireless patient monitoring technology

The ZGT Hospital in Almelo has announced that it is using the Isansys Patient Status Engine wireless vital sign monitoring platform in a definitive trial.

The study, being conducted by clinical researchers at the University of Twente in collaboration with the hospital, has been set up to monitor high-risk post-operative patients remotely with the wireless platform in order to enable staff to respond more quickly to deteriorations in a patient’s condition. Improved patient safety, reduced need for more expensive treatments and shorter hospital stays are just a few of the expected benefits.

The PSE is designed to automate and improve the monitoring of patients’ vital signs which previously took place manually at the hospital.

Surgeon Ewout Kouwenhoven of the ZGT, said:

"With the advent of wireless sensors, we can monitor trends in breathing and heartbeat all day long. The nice thing is that the patient does not have to stay in bed for this and can continue to be active during their recovery.”

Mathilde Hermans from the University of Twente which is working with the ZGT on this research, said:

"The question is how we can best use these sensors for day-to-day care, and we hope to discover how we can handle the large amount of data that is suddenly available. In addition, it comes down to the intuition of the nurse. As soon as they have a feeling that something is not right, this can be combined with the data of the sensor measurements and can take action faster and more effectively.”

The first patients taking part in this trial are now being monitored with the Patient Status Engine.

The research is expected to run until the summer of 2019.

The work at the ZGT Hospital was featured on Oost TV, a regional news channel.

The clip can be watched here:

About the Patient Status Engine:

The Patient Status Engine allows an adult or child to be monitored wirelessly and continuously in real-time, ensuring any deterioration in the condition of a patient is identified more quickly and timely treatment is given.

The system uses wireless body-worn sensors including the Isansys' Lifetouch cardiac monitoring smart patch and the Lifetemp wireless thermometer to collect and analyse heart rate, respiration rate, heart rate variability, temperature, oxygen saturation and blood pressure. This collection of accurate real-time data allows doctors and nurses to monitor patients better, more closely, more efficiently, and continuously, and alerts them to any signs of deterioration earlier.

The system takes patient measurements every second, significantly more often than current practice where the majority of patients in hospital have vital signs taken only once every 4-8 hours. Infrequent monitoring means that deterioration in patient conditions may go unnoticed, potentially leading to longer stays in hospital, more expensive treatments or even admittance to intensive care.

The wireless nature of the wireless sensors mean that a patient’s stay is made more comfortable. Patients can walk around the hospital and can even go home wearing the devices and still be monitored almost as if they were in an intensive care unit.