Software for Monitoring Vital Signs

For busy hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities, it's hard to keep track of each patient's health when a health care worker is not in the room. Yet, software programs are available that allow users to remotely monitor a patient's health and quickly respond if a problem does arise. Health care workers can monitor patients via a central workstation or even on their smart phone.

ECG Monitoring

• ECG, or electrocardiography, is software that monitors heart rhythms and records that information. Electrodes placed on the skin of the chest capture this information. The software will send alerts if there are changes in heart rhythm or if the heart stops. Health care professionals can also use this information to obtain regular updates on the patient's health at different time intervals. The software can transfer this information to external workstations, computers or even hand-held devices like smart phones and personal data assistants (PDA). Some of these software systems transmit information via Bluetooth technology. Usually, these programs allow remote access to patient data. Some users will be able to review data via a web interface; they just need to log in to find information about individual patients.

Neonatal Monitoring

• This software monitors newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit, which specializes in taking care of newborn babies who are premature or unwell. Neonatal monitoring software allows monitors to work with and communicate with other devices, including incubators, ventilation systems and warmers. This software allows users to monitor information on infant vital signs, breathing and body temperature from outside the unit. Generally, this information appears on one screen so that nurses and doctors can quickly scan through information on multiple patients. Alerts can be set up to notify caregivers of any changes in a patient's health.

Respiratory Monitoring

• Respiratory monitoring software monitors a patient's airway flow, CO2 expiration curve and airway pressure, and this information displays on a central monitor. This software collected this information from the servo ventilator. The software can also keep track of vector loops and lung-operating parameters like flow pressure, flow volume, pressure volume and expiratory/inspiratory resistances, positive end-expiratory pressure and peak pressure. This software can also compile data on dead space ventilation and concentration against volume. Many of these programs can create diagrams, such as the oxygen chart or O2-CO2 graph.