Cancer patients admitted for surgery at the Dutch Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven receive a ‘smart patch’ on their chest before the procedure that can remotely measure the patient’s heart rate and breathing.
The smart patch (called Healthdot) offers several advantages in patient care. Firstly, it eliminates the need for manual measurements by nursing staff, freeing them up for other important tasks such as paying more personal attention to their patients.
Save Recovery At Home
Secondly, it can detect complications earlier as it measures heart rate and breathing every five minutes and securely sends the data to a digital system. And thirdly, it has the potential to allow patients to leave the hospital earlier, reducing their stay while providing peace of mind through continuous monitoring. This not only provides confidence in people’s recovery at home but also helps save on hospital resources.
In the video below (in Dutch) Anesthesiologist Arthur Bouwman and patient Frank Smits share their experience.
The smart plaster is being tested on all patients admitted to the surgical oncology unit for three months, with the potential to replace manual measurements if the data proves to be similar. So far, patients
Advanced Monitoring System
The wireless mini-monitoring station tracks the patient’s heart rate and breathing, aiming to detect complications more quickly without the need for cables.
Manual Process Replaced
Previously, the nursing staff had to manually measure heart rate and breathing with a box on a pole, which was time-consuming, especially in departments with many patients. The smart plaster does a measurement every five minutes and sends it to a digital dashboard for hospital staff.
Reliable and Efficient
The plaster is as reliable as a measurement by a nurse and was developed in collaboration with Philips and the Eindhoven University of Technology. The hospital has already been using the plaster for patients who have undergone a gastric bypass, allowing them to go home on the day of the surgery.
Investigating Success
Anesthesiologist Arthur Bouwman will now investigate how the nursing staff experience working with the plaster. If successful, the plaster can also be used in other departments.
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