Digital Wristband Innovation to Improve Patient Safety

A chip has been integrated into patients’ wristbands so that they may be permanently located and their tracking facilitated within the Surgical Wing. This system improves patients’ safety, contributes to avoid errors and optimises surgical activity.

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Description

The Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron and Telefónica have introduced a new system to improve patient safety within the Surgical Wing. The system allows tracking and knowledge of the patient's location and point of intervention.
In order for the system to operate, it is necessary to have Bluetooth, markers within the Surgical Wing and the wristband with the chip that the patient starts wearing as soon as they enter the wing. Hence, all the nursing and medical care team have real-time knowledge of all the information related to the patient's state, as well as their medical record, which allows an efficiency gain, thus optimising resources and improving safety.
As well, the centre has a mobile application which has been integrated into the tracking system, which enables attendants to keep informed about patients’ movements.
Another function is the emission of this same information through the waiting room screens (in code, to ensure anonymity), complemented by a colour code which facilitates tracking for attendants:

-       Green: movements within the Surgical Wing.
-       Blue: patient leaving the Surgical Wing.
-       Yellow or red: patient being operated/treated.
-       Red background: patient waiting to enter the operating theatre in the Anaesthesia Recovering Unit (in Spanish, URPA).
-       Yellow background: patient in recovery in the URPA.

Source of information:
Innovadora polsera digital per millorar la seguretat del pacient a la Vall d'Hebron. CCMA [Internet]. February 20, 2018 [query performed on August 27, 2018]; Noticias: [approx. 4 screens]. Available at: http://www.ccma.cat/324/innovadora-polsera-digital-per-millorar-la-seguretat-del-pacient-a-la-vall-d-hebron/noticia/2839308

Needs

-       To improve patients’ safety.
-       To have a tracking system.
-       To have real-time information.
-       To optimise the flow of the Surgical Wing.
-       To improve information for the family.