Mar 5 2011
Robin Felder, associate director of clinical chemistry at the University of Virginia who conducts research in robotics, medical automation and process enhancement in medical facilities, claims that only passive patient monitoring devices can be an effective solution.
To prove his point, Felder cites the example of a paper, published in the Journal of Telemedicine and e-Health, which denotes a 74% reduction in medical expenses for patients who have been monitored with the help of passive devices. The paper also stated that with the use of passive devices, the urinary tract infections in patients dropped to zero.
Felder also claimed that 95% of the patients don’t use home blood-pressure monitoring systems even after purchase. The presentation conducted by Felder at HIMSS conference in Orlando, Fla., focused on a new array of passive wireless patient monitors called “wellness support.”
He also discussed about a passive monitoring environment, where a toilet could be used for tracking the patient’s body temperature, body fat, and pulse. Felder estimated that such a passive environment could be used for checking protein and glucose levels in urine.