Wireless patient monitoring top of agenda for health services

Coventry University academics will be working alongside medical professionals from Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital to conduct research aimed at developing an e-health service system, which will be used to provide post-operative care to thousands of patients.

Following the boost of a $750,000 grant from the Canadian government’s e-health Innovation Partnership Programme (eHIPP), a team of researchers led by McMaster University, in collaboration with Coventry University, will continue to work towards advancing a remote monitoring health care system named, SMArTVIEW. Using research expertise from the faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University will focus on remote, continuous monitoring and recovery support for patients’ eight-weeks post hospital discharge. 

As well as the substantial grant, the SMArTVIEW project has also received an $11.6 million of in-kind support to further the development and testing of the system, which has come by way of industry and none industry partners alike. With the aim to develop the SMArTVIEW system to save those patients suffering from life-threatening complications following their surgery.

Every year thousands of senior citizens receive excellent cardiac and vascular surgery in the UK and Canada, however chronic postoperative pain is still experienced by up to 40 per cent of patients. Professor Andy Turner and Dr Wendy Clyne, the lead UK researchers from Coventry University, believe the follow-up care patients receive could be improved on.

With SMArTVIEW and this research, we’ll be able to move from futuristic concepts to real-life care that’s in widespread use, based on evidence of real-world impact.

 

We are fortunate to be working with drivers of eHealth innovation including our lead technology partner, Phillips Canada, along with QoC Health, a patient-engagement platform; XAHIVE, a secure communications service, and mPath, a mobile application developer.

 

Looking ahead, we have the opportunity to reduce the global risk of serious complications following cardiac and vascular surgery by making continuous patient monitoring and virtual support, from hospital to home, a reality."

SMArTVIEW’s wireless information system will enable specially trained nurses to connect with patients following their departure from hospital - through the use of wireless devices such as tablets and smartphones – to provide postoperative care and medical advice to aid patients’ recovery.

For further information, please contact James Stride, PR Assistant, Coventry University, on +44 (0)24 7765 4562 or email James.Stride@coventry.ac.uk.

SMArTVIEW - TecHnology Enabled Self-MAnagemenT: VIsion for patient EmpoWerment following Cardiac and VasculaR surgery).