Continuous vitals monitoring reduces readmissions: Study

A retrospective study focused on readmissions within 12 days of discharge from two hospitals showed that the continuous monitoring of vital signs can alert clinicians to problems that could easily result in readmissions. In each case, these readmissions represent 50 percent of the total 30-day readmissions. 

Results of the study showed that the Waltham, Mass.-based EarlySense contact-free continuous monitoring system was able to predict more than half of the readmission events with specificity of 78.1 percent.

By detecting critical changes in heart rate, respiratory rate or motion, the continuous monitoring system is able to alert the nursing staff before an adverse event occurs and well before discharge.

Coffee Regional Medical Center in Douglas, Ga., was one of the hospitals used in the study. In a press release, Sue Lane Hughes, director medical/OPO, said: “Hospital readmissions are a key concern for hospitals administrators as they often lead to higher cost and potential fines. In many cases, the risk of readmission may be detected prior to discharge with the use of advanced analytical tools that allow us to be proactive and reduce that risk. We have had several cases in which the EarlySense System’s warning signs allowed us to detect patient deterioration and instability, which allowed us to take action, enhance our discharge planning and as a result, reduce the risk of readmission back to our hospital.”