Telemedicine System Monitors Key Patient Biometrics

A novel remote monitoring system uses sophisticated algorithms to support observation of patients with cardiac arrhythmias outside of the clinical setting.

The Preventice BodyGuardian Remote Monitoring System comprises a control unit and a highly portable, lightweight wireless body sensor that adheres to the patient’s skin. The bandage-like patch carries a small battery operated monitor sensor that collects the patient’s electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate, respiration rate, and activity level. Patient data can then be transmitted via mobile phone technology to the Preventice CarePlatform, a cloud-based mHealth platform that collects real-time data from devices and delivers information to medical monitoring professionals.

The biometric data is in turn delivered to physicians and clinicians, who can access their patients’ data and review alerts securely anytime, anywhere via the web or an iPad. Additionally, physicians can set individualized alert thresholds for each patient allowing for individualized tracking and care plan support. The system is scalable, with additional devices that can be used in conjunction with the BodyGuardian to remotely monitor other vital signs such as blood pressure and weight.

Clinical applications of the system include rhythm monitoring to understand the cardiac role of unexplained symptoms; with arrhythmia medication therapy to monitor treatment effectiveness; following ablation procedures to monitor cardiac rhythm; and remote monitoring of cardiac rhythm, respiration, and activity in the hospital or at home for discharged arrhythmia and heart failure patients. The Preventice BodyGuardian Remote Monitoring System is a product of Preventice (Minneapolis, MN, USA), and was developed in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA).

“The development of this solution has been a team effort, involving Preventice technology experts, Mayo Clinic physicians, nurses, engineers and technical staff, and the sensor technology leaders at STMicroelectronics,” said Jon Otterstatter, co-founder, president, and CEO of Preventice. “All of these forces have been focused on using remote monitoring technology to change healthcare in a positive way, which is what gives systems like BodyGuardian the ability to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and better engage patients in their care.”

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Preventice
Mayo Clinic