New Smartwatch App Could Improve Patient Safety

New smartwatch app could improve patient safety

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Augst,2016) : A new smartwatch app being developed at Binghamton University may prevent serious injury for nursing home residents due to poor communication systems, researchers said. The proposed design integrates all of the existing safety systems at nursing homes -- for example, call lights, chair and bed alarms, wander guards, calling-for-help functions -- and provides alerts to users.

Through a process of iterative design and evaluation with prospective users, a final design was well received by nursing experts in geriatric care, and at local nursing homes, Medical Daily reported.

An on-going evaluation study shows that using this system reduces staff response time to alarms, the researchers said.

"We wanted to design a better system that improves notification and also, potentially, communication in nursing homes," Assistant Professor Huiyang Li said. "With our system, we provide an informative and customised message for different alarms.

The message contains the resident's name, the type of alarm, the room number and the CNA (certified nursing assistants) who is responsible," Li said. "The smartwatch will be on the CNA's wrist, so it's accessible all the time. They can see the message, hear the alarm, and feel the vibration, whether they are working down the hallway or inside the rooms," said Li.