Automating patient monitoring, early warning systems can save 144 lives for 100 connected beds: Study

Mumbai: A recent study shows that connected beds can save up to 80 per cent of nursing time used for monitoring patient vitals through manual spot-checks in non-ICU wards. Furthermore, connected beds outside the ICU can help reduce approximately 1.3 days of average length of stay (ALOS) in the ICU, thus bridging the shortfall of ICU beds. This can also drive significant cost savings, roughly to the tune of Rs 2.7 crore for every 100 connected beds.

The study titled ‘Unlocking the potential of connected healthcare in India’ was conducted by Sattva Consulting in collaboration with Dozee. The study also highlights how connected contactless remote patient monitoring across public healthcare delivery systems could potentially unlock the treatment capacity for an additional three million patients (assuming peak capacity) by the Indian healthcare system. Deploying continuous patient monitoring and early warning systems (EWS) can save approximately 144 lives for every 100 connected beds. Moreover, it is estimated that there is potential to save over 1,10,000 lives in India annually through initiatives such as Dozee's Million ICU programme.

The study revealed that automating patient monitoring through Dozee connected beds in non-ICU wards in public hospitals can address the shortage of ICU beds, doctors and nursing staff in India. At the same time, it can deliver higher patient safety, improved clinical outcomes and a considerable cost saving, estimated at Rs 2150 crore per annum.

The research for this report was carried out in public hospitals that had adopted Dozee’s contactless remote patient monitoring (RPM) and early warning system (EWS) as part of Dozee’s Million ICU initiative. Currently, India has an estimated two million hospital beds and 1.25 lakh ICU beds. However, more than 95 per cent of the hospital beds in India are monitored sub-optimally with manual spot-checks leading to a reduced ability of early detection of patient's deteriorating condition and increased workload on the under-resourced healthcare system. Given this scenario, the impact assessment study was conducted to better understand how the automation of patient monitoring across non-ICU wards could save a significant number of nursing hours, thereby positively impacting patient care and driving digital transformation.

The report also captured the views of nurses and doctors; 97 per cent of them firmly believed that digitising patient health data was necessary for an efficient and optimised healthcare ecosystem.

Dr Vaishali Shelgaonkar, Associate Professor and HOD of the Department of Anaesthesia - Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & Hospital (IGGMC), said, "Implementing remote patient monitoring and early warning systems in large public hospital facilities, care facilities saved significant time and energy for nurses in terms of patient monitoring, enabling them to perform other care-related responsibilities more efficiently. It also added to patient safety, besides digital monitoring capabilities that helped identify patients at high-mid-low risk, further enabling prioritisation of critical patients."

Srikrishna Sridhar Murthy, CEO and Co-Founder, Sattva Consulting, noted “COVID-19 pandemic brought home the critical need to improve the healthcare infrastructure sector in the country. While the government has initiated measures to improve access and outcomes such as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, there is also a strong need for technology and innovations, through the private sector and via public-private partnerships, to bridge the gap and accelerate better health outcomes for all.”