Philips bedside patient monitors give evidence-based care guidance
19 April 2007 Andover, Mass., USA. Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:
PHG; AEX: PHI) has introduced ProtocolWatch, an application for its
IntelliVue patient monitors that analyses patient monitoring data using
evidence-based care protocols. It then gives guidance for patient care on
the patient monitor screen, giving clinical decision support at the bedside.
David Russell, Philips Medical Systems’ vice president for marketing, points
out that physicians have overwhelming amounts of raw data to deal with.
“Medical technology can provide endless numbers of data points. But beyond
merely providing that accumulation of data,
at Philips we’re designing clinical decision support systems to provide
clinicians a clearer picture of what’s happening with a patient, turning
data into clear, pertinent information and even providing guidance through
clinical protocols,” says Russell. Combating severe sepsis Severe
sepsis is a condition in which the body’s immune response to an infection
spirals out of control, leading to organ dysfunction and death. It is the
leading cause of death in non-coronary intensive care units. According to a
2001 study, sepsis has a mortality rate
of 30 to 50% and an average cost per case of about $22,000 (Angus, DC et
al., Crit Care Med 2001; Jul 29(7):1303-1310). Complicating efforts to
improve care, the symptoms of sepsis can appear similar to other conditions,
resulting in diagnoses that can
come too late. ProtocolWatch brings the care guidelines developed by the
Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) to the Philips IntelliVue patient monitoring
platform. The SSC protocol defines the physiological parameters that
indicate the onset of severe sepsis. Since ProtocolWatch is built into the
patient monitor, it can use the patient’s vital signs to help clinicians
screen for this deadly condition. Once one of the parameters that act as
an early warning sign for sepsis reaches the limits defined by the SSC
protocol, a ProtocolWatch window appears on the monitor screen. This window
prompts clinicians to check for other clinical signs of severe sepsis. If
these signs are not present it resumes screening in the background. If a
clinician diagnoses a patient with severe sepsis the Sepsis Resuscitation
Bundle is launched, displaying a checklist of interventions recommended by
the SSC Sepsis Protocol. Since timing is critical when treating sepsis, a
timer is also displayed. Once the Sepsis Resuscitation Bundle has ended
recommendations from the SSC Sepsis Management Bundle are provided.
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