Documentation, metrics and improved patient outcomes
EarlySense is invested in data monitoring innovations. The company has developed a sensor-based monitoring product under the bed frame to collect data on heart rate, respiratory rate and cardiac/respiratory cycles without touching the patient. “When patient monitoring is incorporated in a bed, you can detect potential bed exit or patient deterioration earlier. In 4-6 hours, nurses are doing 1-2 readings. Our bed technology can do 20,000 readings in 4 hours, or six per second,” says O’Malley.

Deploying technology to ensure patient and provider safety and anticipate care needs are the focus of Hill-Rom’s data generating features. Solomon describes the Hill-Rom Patient Safety application as “new-to-world software that integrates with electronic medical records (EMR) to monitor the safety status of the bed to ensure a patient is in a safe state at all times. From the moment a patient enters the unit, a caregiver can use the Hill-Rom Patient Safety application to flag a patient at risk of falls and automatically enable bed alarms and alerts to nursing staff. Alerts can also be sent in real time to caregivers’ wireless phones whenever a patient is deemed to be in an unsafe state.”
Hospital bed technology for prevention and prediction
While hospital bed technology can now monitor heart rate, respiratory rate and a host of other metrics, some of the best features are based on common sense. For instance, an antimicrobial can be infused into plastics. The user interface and bed rails can be coated and protected. There should be very few gaps and crevices where liquids and matter can collect and breed bacteria. “We are focused on eliminating things that can be avoided: pressure ulcer reduction, fall prevention, reducing exposure to injury and associated costs,” Bain adds.

Still, continuous monitoring and documentation are the next frontier of hospital bed technology, according to Hill-Rom’s Solomon. He said, “monitoring the earliest signs of change in a patient’s status will allow caregivers to intervene quickly, before potential problems progress. Our VersaCare bed is an example of using technology to help improve patient care and help caregivers anticipate patient needs. We believe this kind of anticipation of need, and use of technology to address those needs, are on the leading edge.”

Hospital bed innovation: taking cues from providers
Berkemier mentioned additional improvements she’d like to see in hospital bed design. “We’d like to see adjusting the cords under the bed because wheels run over cords and they split open. Running the over-bed table under the bed becomes a barrier when the beds are low. Also, we would like a table with a multi-adapter so that pumps can be run on both sides of the bed. And more patient-friendly features, like USB ports — patients want to plug in phones.”

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