A wearable vital signs monitoring system is being trialled by patients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB).

The device has been created by Sensium Healthcare, a pioneer in low-power, wireless semiconductor technologies for healthcare and digital audio.

The new wireless system is called SensiumVitals^®, and takes readings of heart rate, respiration and temperature every two minutes with the data sent wirelessly to clinicians via hospital IT systems.  The system will initially be used in two wards: a post-surgery ward and an ambulatory care ward. 

SensiumVitals^® is being installed and fully integrated with the hospital’s IT systems this month with the trial due to start in May.  It is expected to last for about two months, during which time more than 100 patients will be monitored by the system.

Funding for this commercial trial has been provided by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity.

Anthony Sethill, CEO of Sensium Healthcare, said: “It is a significant development for us to be deploying SensiumVitals^® in one of the UK’s leading NHS hospitals.

“Our early trials with other hospitals in the US and the UK have shown that SensiumVitals^® improves patient care, shortens hospital stays and reduces healthcare costs.”

Mr Ravinder Vohra is a Clinical Lecturer - General Surgery, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, which is run University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

He said:”SensiumVitals^® has the potential to be a ground-breaking system in the world of patient monitoring. The ability to take measurements between routine observation rounds allows clinicians quickly to identify early signs of patient deterioration.”

SensiumVitals^® is an ultra-low power system for wireless monitoring of patient vital signs. Readings are taken every two minutes and the data is sent wirelessly and securely to clinicians via hospital IT systems. 

The key benefit of SensiumVitals^® is to provide clinicians with timely warnings of patient deterioration. This allows them to make earlier interventions, which in turn leads to shorter stays in hospital and lower healthcare costs.

The system also enables patients to be monitored whilst moving around freely within the hospital – a further factor in aiding swift recovery. The system is currently used in general wards and Accident & Emergency patient waiting areas – with future potential for broader hospital and in-home applications.