Reducing Emergency Department Strain Through Usable Wearables: A Proof-of-Concept for Multi-sensor Remote Patient Monitoring

Rising emergency department (ED) cases are straining hospital resources, compromising care quality, and elevating mortality risks. Remote patient monitoring via wearable devices offers a pathway to alleviate this burden, yet many are hindered by short battery life, discomfort, and limited clinical utility. This proof-of-concept describes a compact, wrist-worn wearable for continuous remote health monitoring. It integrates multi-sensors for heart rate, body temperature, blood oxygen saturation, and accelerometer-based motion/fall detection. Data streams via Bluetooth to a smartphone app, triggering alerts for vital sign deviations or falls. Usability is enhanced with wireless charging, a water-resistant enclosure, and a capacitive wear-detection mechanism to optimize battery efficiency. We present full schematics and a 3D model demonstrating seamless integration of sensors, a Bluetooth module, and power management into a low-cost, ergonomic device. These features enable multifunctional, daily-use monitoring, addressing key barriers to adoption. This usable wearable design supports extramural patient care through vital tracking, fall alerts, and practical innovations, potentially reducing ED overcrowding and enabling timely interventions for at-risk groups. Though unprototyped and unvalidated, it underscores the feasibility of scalable remote solutions. Future efforts will prioritize fabrication, accuracy testing, and clinical pilots.