Development of a remote monitoring device in a paediatric tertiary hospital: A clinical validation study

<bold>Introduction</bold> Depending on the level of acuity, all paediatric patients with respiratory illnesses require cardiorespiratory monitoring of varying intensity in a hospital. Existing monitoring setups are often wired, cumbersome and restrictive. The development of a remote monitoring sensor device offers the potential to enhance patient care and comfort, optimise resource utilisation and improve clinical outcome. <bold>Aim</bold> To validate for clinical use a unique, wearable, remote monitoring device adopting an adaptive and optical approach tailored for use in a paediatric hospital. <bold>Method</bold> A prospective cohort of patients receiving care at the hospital were enrolled and monitored with both remote monitoring device and standard monitoring device. After excluding bad data points (unclear patterns, excessive motions), analysis of the data collected was performed. The key outcome measure was the accuracy of the device in capturing and transmitting the vital signs - temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation. <bold>Result</bold> 115 children aged 1 to 16 years (mean±sd age 8.3±4.6) were recruited. The results demonstrated high accuracy for capturing all vital signs. The heart rate and the respiratory rate evaluation achieved an overall high accuracy of 98.9% and 94.5% respectively using the R² regression coefficient. Caregivers preferred the monitoring device as it was less bulky and allowed better mobility. <bold>Conclusion</bold> The novel device demonstrated promise for real-time application on patients for routine monitoring and incorporation into early warning systems for deteriorating patients. Further studies are required to assess the effectiveness and feasibility in a real-world clinical environment.