NEW DELHI: A technology-enabled remote health monitoring system is helping patients recovering after being discharged from hospital, as well as elderly people and those experiencing sudden health problems, stay under continuous medical supervision at home.

When 63-year-old Charanjit Kaur, a resident of Hari Nagar in Delhi, suddenly fainted and was rushed to hospital, doctors found that she had a 90 per cent blockage in her heart. Cardiovascular surgeon Dr Rahul Chandola at PSRI Hospital performed bypass surgery on her.

A week later, when she was ready to be discharged, her son Maninder Singh, who works in the private sector, became worried. With two young children at home, he wondered how his wife would be able to take care of his mother in the same way she was being cared for in the hospital.

That was when Singh came to know about iLive Connect, a technology designed to provide patients with continuous health monitoring at home, similar to the monitoring they receive in a hospital.

He said the system helped his mother receive the kind of monitoring at home that doctors and hospital staff would normally provide.

“If you have to rush to the hospital, the cost of travel, consultation and other expenses can come to around Rs 5,000 for a single visit. With this device, that kind of monitoring was available for around Rs 1,000. So, I would definitely call it value for money,” Singh said.

The technology uses a patch placed on the heart area along with a wristband to continuously capture various health parameters. The information is transmitted to doctors sitting at a remote command centre.

If there is any significant change in a patient’s health, the medical team can alert the patient and provide guidance on precautions or medication.

Dr Sameer Maheshwari, cardiologist, iLiveConnect, said the medical-grade biosensor devices continuously monitor multiple health parameters, including ECG, heart rate, SpO2, heart rate variability, temperature, activity levels and sleep.

“This 24×7 vitals monitoring and timely clinical care help prevent medical emergencies and reduce hospitalisations,” he said.

According to Dr Maheshwari, the system was developed to address the gap in continuous medical supervision once a patient leaves the hospital.

Many serious medical events may occur after patients return home, when they are no longer under continuous medical monitoring, he said.

He said the period immediately after discharge is particularly important because patients need closer monitoring and there is always a possibility of their condition suddenly worsening.

Talking about his experience, Singh said, “Through the small iLive Connect device, doctors continuously monitored his mother’s health parameters. Calls from the medical team every morning and evening, along with immediate advice whenever any health parameter showed an abnormality, helped make her recovery smoother.”

This experience is not limited to one patient.

For 53-year-old government employee Rakesh Bhardwaj, a resident of Naraina Vihar in Delhi, the experience was similar. A few months ago, his blood pressure suddenly shot up to 200/130 accompanied by a severe headache that would not subside. He then used the iLive Connect device until his blood pressure stabilised.

Bhardwaj said the medical team continuously monitored his health through the device and called him every day to check on his condition.

Gradually, his problems were brought under control.

“In this age of technology, if a doctor’s support can come to you while you are sitting at home, that is a major development. Especially when even a small health concern can trouble you and you need medical advice. iLive Connect gives you the feeling and reassurance that a doctor is always there with you,” he said.

iLive Connect is designed to support people who experience sudden health problems, patients discharged from hospitals who need close monitoring for some time, as well as elderly people at home who may require regular observation.

The support is not limited to responding to an emergency. Patients also receive calls from doctors in the morning and evening to check whether everything is going well.

Reference: Press Trust Of India

https://iliveconnect.com/news/when-doctor-is-at-home-technology-enables-24x7-monitoring-beyond-hospital/