Promising results for the Smart Hospital project

The Smart Hospital project has come a long way since its beginnings in 2021. Aimed at supporting the development of wireless vital signs monitors, the project has just completed its second phase and the results appear encouraging.

Dr. Guilherme Sant’Anna and Dr. Wissam Shalish, neonatologists at the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH) and scientists at the Child Health and Human Development Program at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (IR-MUHC), as well as Robert Kearney, professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at McGill University, are the three principal investigators of the Smart Hospital project, the first of its kind in Canada.

In addition to supporting the development of the device itself, the researchers are conducting a study directly in a healthcare environment, that is to say in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the MCH. This aims to compare the data collected by wireless vital signs sensors to that collected by traditional wired electrodes. Machine learning and artificial intelligence are also used to analyze data to support the healthcare team and improve patient outcomes.

The most recent developments of the Smart Hospital project were highlighted in September during a symposium at the IR-MUHC auditorium, followed by a cocktail evening at the Center Mont-Royal. Since 2021, the prototype has been tested on 50 patients and adjusted throughout the trials. Its shape is different, it is softer and the adhesive has been revised to protect the delicate skin of premature babies. Analysis of the results continues.

“We seek to ensure that the use of wireless monitors is safe and feasible, and that the data received is accurate. So far, the results are very promising. I estimate that we could integrate these monitors into our clinical care within two years,” says Dr. Sant’Anna.

Researchers are also developing a smart dashboard that will present graphical trends. A graphical interface with a monitoring system allows hospital staff to observe the condition of all patients and take appropriate action. This dashboard also has an interface for parents, presenting data in a way they can understand.

“This will help them communicate with the healthcare team,” emphasizes Dr. Sant’Anna.

Once the NICU study is complete, the team will focus on evaluating the impact and benefits of using wireless vital signs monitors. A cost/effectiveness analysis will also be carried out.

A revolution

Currently, critically ill babies hospitalized in the NICU have five to 10 wired electrodes stuck to their fragile skin. These devices are connected to a wall of machines that monitor breathing, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and more.

Although these wires are essential, they have drawbacks. They limit the baby’s movements, increase the risk of infection, can damage a newborn’s delicate skin and complicate care, diaper changes and feeding. This old technology also requires nurses to manually check their patients’ vital signs at different times of the day. Additionally, the tangle of wires makes life difficult for parents who want to cuddle and bond with their sick baby.

In comparison, wireless vital signs monitors consist of just one small sensor. The sensor continuously transmits the baby’s vital signs to a computer located at the nursing station rather than in the patient’s room. This constant monitoring gives the healthcare team a more complete picture of the child’s health and would more quickly alert nurses and doctors to changes in the patient’s condition, improving care and even reducing the duration of hospitalization.

In the future, wireless monitoring could allow some patients to go home while continuing to monitor their vital signs remotely. The sensor can also measure other signals, such as the baby’s movements. And of course, without all those sons, mom and dad can easily hold their baby!