Robust, regulatory-backed, data-driven video technology supports patients in ways not possible with the naked eye alone.
For example, consider fall risk. Many people are at risk of falls in hospitals, and it’s not just the elderly who need attention. A fussy patient after surgery may become disoriented, panic, and fall out of bed. People recovering from fractures are as vulnerable as stroke and heart attack sufferers.
According to Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, up to 1 million falls occur each year in hospitals in the United States alone, injuring about 250,000 people and killing up to 11,000 people each year. When a patient falls, every second counts. The sooner you respond, the less likely you are to sustain long-term injury. Unless medical staff happen to be in the right place at the right time, it is difficult to respond immediately when a patient falls to the floor. Modern video technology can alert hospital staff when someone has fallen. Provides accurate location information for faster response times.
For healthcare professionals, video also helps them in their day-to-day work. For example, when a patient presses the nurse call button, the alarm system does not distinguish between someone in need of a glass of water and someone in critical condition. Video enables nurses to make informed decisions and prioritize actions. This is very beneficial, especially in resource-poor and responsibility-conscious hospitals.
In the long run, video analytics can also identify patterns and behaviors, thus preventing situations from escalating into emergencies. The technology can detect when someone is out of breath and needs attention, and alert when someone becomes aggressive toward staff. This video doesn’t just document the incident, it initiates a response before things get out of control. In the United States alone, it is estimated that two nurses are attacked every hour, which can have a significant impact on workplace welfare.
Naturally, some may be concerned about the use of video within hospitals. This reflects society-wide concerns about the potential for Big Brother-style surveillance. Who has access to our data and how is it stored? What are they used for? These are legitimate questions.
First, the technology should be equipped with privacy-enhancing features such as an auto-blur feature. This begins when the patient under observation needs privacy. You can monitor without sending images to the nurse station screen.
Laws should also be put in place. This increases trust and prevents unethical use of video technology in general. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which protects individual privacy, is the starting point. The EU is also working on upcoming legislation on artificial intelligence that will provide much-needed regulation for emerging technologies.
With a strong regulatory base and good privacy controls in place, there is a lot of potential for video technology in hospitals. Patients benefit from knowing they are being cared for without unwanted disruption or loss of dignity. Hospital staff will be able to make better decisions and focus on what they do best: providing quality care.
Hospitals have always had a strong desire to innovate. Combining video technology with healing the human hand is exactly what the doctor ordered.
