Kolkata: At least two private hospitals in the city have installed or are in the process of introducing an AI-powered remote monitoring system for each patient that will assess multiple vital parameters such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, SPO2 or oxygen levels . saturation and temperature. It also monitors the ECG and issues real-time alerts to healthcare workers across the hospital in case a patient suffers or shows signs of deterioration. This will not only help reduce reaction time and save lives, but also eliminate human error or failure to detect early warning signs, hospitals say. Last week, Charnock Hospital launched an “enhanced patient care system” in which all beds on the ward have been connected. to remote monitoring powered by AI and early warning system (EWS). It’s a contactless sensor sheet placed under the patient’s mattress that captures the micro vibrations of the body. These are then interpreted into various metrics that are transmitted on a dashboard that nurses can monitor at the respective stations. “What makes it a game-changer is the fact that it can detect changes in parameters and issue alerts in real time. This allows us to take action before the patient’s parameters have reached or crossed the danger mark,” said Nishant Agarwal, emergency consultant, Charnock. The system uses AI-based ballistocardiography for non-contact vital monitoring. “The patient is not connected to the device that can track and store data remotely through sensors. It then sends it to a central system from where it can be tracked by everyone health personnel. In case no one responds within a given time, an alarm starts ringing,” Agarwal said.
Narayana Hospitals which has 1,400 beds across its four units in Kolkata and Howrah, is “piloting AI-based systems and will deploy them based on their reliability and benefits to patient care.” One of the AI initiatives is a contactless remote monitoring of patient vital signs and an AI-based early warning system, according to Abhijit CP, Director, Narayana Hospitals and Corporate Growth Initiatives, Narayana Health (East).
“The system will help capture blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate and SPO2. It helps in early intervention with timely alerts, allowing nurses more time for bedside care,” she said.
Manipal Hospital, with four units in Kolkata and around 1,500 beds, has a monitoring device in its Bengaluru unit that could also be upgraded to an AI-powered system for its city units, Manipal’s chief operating officer said. , Karthik Rajagopal. “We have a monitoring device for ICU and intensive care unit patients that examines vital signs and issues early alerts. We are now in the process of developing an artificial intelligence system that will be more sophisticated and efficient and could be used in all units of our hospitals,” Rajagopal said.
These initiatives aim to speed up diagnoses, reduce fatigue among healthcare providers and improve overall patient outcomes by leveraging the power of AI, Agarwal said. “We have been using it successfully on a trial basis for two months,” Agarwal added.
