Boston Children's hospital is using predictive analytics technology to help intensive care unit (ICU) doctors determine when a patient's condition is at risk of worsening and in need of immediate attention.
The technology, from Boston-based startup Etiometry, gathers data from various vital sign monitors within the ICU and uses algorithms to detect changes in relationships of vital signs. These changes can signify when a patient's condition is in danger of getting worse. According to a report from The Boston Globe, the technology is able to take data from up to 12 machines and can be adapted based on which parameters the doctor chooses to measure.
“There are so many pieces of data coming at the physician. With almost 30 ICU patients, we’re just inundated,” Joshua Salvin, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist at Boston Children’s said to The Globe. “If we had something that could tell us where the hot spots are on the floor, we could direct resources to the most sick patients.”
It's been a busy month at Boston Children's. Recently, it was announced that the SMART Platforms project at the hospital, which is developing an apps platform for healthcare, shifted into a higher gear with the formation of an advisory committee to guide the organization on strategy, technical approach and business development.
