Pressure Mapping: Integrating live data into hospital beds
The healthcare sector faces a myriad of challenges in 2024. An ageing population, persistent workforce shortage, and escalating costs are leading many to consider whether technology may hold the key to addressing how the medical sector will need to evolve for the future.
Pressure mapping technology has historically only been available in limited applications because of the expense and limitations of the available hardware. Medical devices need to be accurate, reliable and durable, and sealed from water and dust so they don’t pose an infection risk. They need to be comfortable, easy to use, and adjust to a patient’s body and movements.
When this is done well, pressure mapping can be incredibly useful in a medical setting, allowing clinicians to develop a deeper understanding of a patient’s condition and optimise their care. The increasing prevalence of chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s paralysis, diabetes and multiple sclerosis, alongside a need to invest in preventative treatments, is expected to drive the demand for such systems.
TG0 believes that incorporating this technology could be as easy as converting everyday objects already being used within a medical setting into accurate pressure and force sensors. Healthcare workers will be empowered to provide better care, patients will be able to look after their own conditions, with the support of remote monitoring, and the overall pressure currently being felt in the system can be significantly reduced.
Here’s how:
Hospital beds
Patients who are confined to a bed or wheelchair over an extended period of time can suffer from pressure ulcers and bedsores. In the UK, more than 700,000 people are affected by pressure ulcers every year and despite the advances in medical care, those numbers aren’t decreasing. Pressure sores are painful for patients and expensive to treat, extending hospital stays significantly. Nurses and care workers have to turn patients every three to four hours to prevent sores from forming, with vulnerable patients such as those with burns requiring even more frequent intervention.
With smart beds that incorporate pressure mapping technology within the mattress, medical staff can monitor a patient’s pressure levels, map when they have turned themselves, and reduce the incidences of sores. These sensors can also be used to monitor the presence or absence of patients, helping short-staffed nurses and care workers look after vulnerable patients at risk of wandering in the night, or needing other assistance.
Learn more about TG0 Technology Medical applications or contact James Roth for more information.
