Non-contact health monitoring to support care in hospital rooms
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing the feasibility of non-contact monitoring to support care in hospital rooms
IRAS ID
219868
Contact name
Michael Polkey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxehealth Ltd
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
This study explores the potential use of non-contact monitoring technology to support care in hospital rooms. The prototype technology, which uses software to process data from digital video cameras positioned several metres from the patient, will monitor the location and vital signs of consented patients. Infra red illumination allows the technology to work in all lighting conditions without disturbing the patient. In this setting, the technology may offer a way for nurses to check on patients' health between their periodic visits to take observations, and also determine whether patients have unexpectedly got out of bed and may be at risk of falls.
The non-contact monitoring technology originated at the University of Oxford's Institute of Biomedical Engineering and has been further developed by Oxehealth Ltd, a University of Oxford spin-out company. This study will explore this technology in single-bed hospital rooms and small ward bays, where patients are often out of sight of the nurses. Monitoring equipment (installed on the wall or ceiling of 2-4 single-bed hospital rooms or ward bays) will be switched on if a patient is admitted to one of these locations and consents to take part. The equipment will unobtrusively monitor and securely collect video data for 48 hours, and additional salient data thereafter. Video data will be edited for patient privacy before analysis. The system's ability to detect if a patient has got out of bed, along with vital sign monitoring, will be assessed. Interviews with patients and staff will capture their responses to this technology.
REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
17/IEC08/0026
Date of REC Opinion
17 Aug 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion