New patient monitoring system reduces falls, readmissions

New technology is on the market that aims to reduce hospital readmissions and falls by monitoring patients for any signs of deterioration.

EarlySense, a healthcare technology company based out of Israel, launched InSight, which can provide warnings of cardiac and respiratory changes to nurses and physicians in real-time, the company said in a statement.

By using a sensor under a patient’s mattress, InSight relays heart rate, respiratory rate and motion statistics to a variety of connected devices. Alerts can be sent to a central nursing station, tablet and mobile devices, and integrated with electronic medical records.

"With InSight, we've created an easy-to-use in-room solution that monitors residents while updating staff in real-time of any changes detected in their conditions," said Avner Halperin, CEO of EarlySense, in a statement. "This means clinicians can detect patient deterioration early, as well as keep patient fall episodes to a minimum, resulting in fewer hospital readmissions and penalties. Additionally, facilities implementing our solution provide patients and their families a high level of confidence and peace of mind, knowing that clinical teams will be notified at an early sign of risk."

And there’s proof it works, according to the company who said that medical centers using InSight have reported a reduction in falls. One of them, Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Massachusetts, has reported dozens of cases in which InSight alerted staff, allowing them to help patients in a timely manner.

"As the healthcare industry continues to face increasing CMS readmission penalties, there is a clear need for a solution that enables delivery of a high standard of care and prevents hospital readmissions,” said Perry An, MD, chief operating officer in the division of hospital medicine at Newton-Wellesley, in a statement.

Other facilities like the Hebrew Home at Riverdale in New York have seen a nearly 40 percent decrease in patient falls and a significant reduction in readmissions.

Katherine Davis,

Senior Writer

As a Senior Writer for TriMed Media Group, Katherine primarily focuses on producing news stories, Q&As and features for Cardiovascular Business. She reports on several facets of the cardiology industry, including emerging technology, new clinical trials and findings, and quality initiatives among providers. She is based out of TriMed's Chicago office and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. Her work has appeared in Modern Healthcare, Crain's Chicago Business and The Detroit News. She joined TriMed in 2016.

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