Covidien Launches Vital Sync Virtual Patient Monitoring Platform
Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products and recognized innovator in patient monitoring and respiratory care devices, has launched the Vital Sync™ virtual patient monitoring platform (VPMP).
Vital Sync VPMP is a software solution for electronic medical record (EMR) connectivity and remote continuous patient monitoring. It allows clinicians to remotely view patient information from multiple bedside device categories on any Web-enabled device and transmits the data to the facility’s EMR system.
The platform enhances patient safety and clinical efficiency by enabling caregivers to view data remotely from patients on the general care floor and intensive care unit. Caregivers receive notification of changes in ventilator settings and oxygenation via meaningful audio and visual alerts, which could potentially shorten clinician response time. If a patient requires immediate assistance, clinicians can collaborate virtually with the care team at bedside to intervene promptly.
“In this increasingly demanding hospital environment, the Vital Sync virtual patient monitoring platform provides an essential functionality for clinicians—the ability to stay connected to their patients,” said Scott Kelley, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions, Covidien. “With this system, clinicians can review critical patient information through a single, mobile platform and quickly assess and prioritize patient care.”
The system consolidates patient monitoring and alarm data—physiological parameters, waveforms, trend data and color-coded alarms—from multiple bedside devices on a single screen, providing a breadth of information in a succinct, intuitive format.
The Vital Sync platform was designed to meet the pressing need in medical care for interoperability between medical devices and healthcare IT systems. Vital Sync VPMP reflects Covidien’s ongoing commitment to building a more connected, intelligent hospital. The software-based (rather than hardware-based) platform integrates with existing hospital networks, making it easily scalable for health facilities of any size to incorporate.
Covidien also is working closely with Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) to develop medical device interoperability standards. IHE is a not-for-profit organization representing U.S. health IT interests that partners to foster the national adoption of consistent information standards to enable interoperability of health IT systems. According to a West Health Institute analysis, improvements in medical device interoperability could result in savings of more $30 billion in healthcare costs each year.1
“At Covidien, we work to provide solutions that help facilities manage healthcare costs and also enhance efficiency and quality of care for clinicians and their patients,” said Dr. Kelley. “The Vital Sync platform does all that and proactively addresses interoperability, which will be increasingly important in the years ahead.”
More information about the Vital Sync™ platform can be found at www.covidien.com/KnowSooner.
The Vital Sync informatics manager and virtual patient monitoring platform is intended to supplement and not to replace any part of the hospital’s device monitoring system.
References
1. The Value of Medical Device Interoperability. West Health Institute. March 2013. Available at: http://www.westhealth.org/institute/interoperability.