With many Islanders facing self-isolation and possible infection by the virus, the Care Hub Jersey Ltd, with the backing of GPs, is hoping to use new technology to help support essential services as they face mounting pressure.
The monitoring systems, which were developed by My Sense, would allow doctors to monitor the activities of patients at home, such as their fluid intake and how regularly they are going to the toilet.
Sensors are placed on wristbands, doors, seats, toilets, showers and beds within a home, as well as on an individual to monitor their habits and behaviour, which is fed back to doctors and carers who can analyse the data via a dashboard app.
Recent innovations will also allow measurements such as a patient’s pulse, respiratory rate and temperature checks to be taken remotely.
Dr Kirstie Ross, a director at the Care Hub, said that the equipment would have a number of advantages during the current crisis, including aiding self-isolation and freeing up hospital beds.
‘Putting these in allows us to target vulnerable people and make sure they stay well,’ she said.
‘It also means that GPs can go out and see the patients they need to because they will not need to go and check on everyone.
‘We can also put people who are in hospital back home earlier because we will be able to monitor them from home and this will free up beds in the Hospital.
‘It also supports social isolating and distancing. If a patient is using this then a GP does not need to visit them to take tests.
‘So that prevents either exposure of a patient to a GP who might be a carrier or a GP to a patient who might be a carrier.’
The Care Hub, an independent community nursing and care provider, and its supporting doctors want to bring 20 kits into the Island within the next two weeks and is aiming to raise £5,000 through its GoFundMe page to help achieve this.
Dr Ross said that it is hoped that a successful demonstration will persuade the government to invest in a mass roll-out of the equipment that would modernise the Island’s health sector and strengthen it during the current crisis, as well as in the longer term.
‘This also fits in with the Jersey Health Care Model, which is aiming to provide more care from home,’ she said.
‘So there is a longer-term aim to this to also.’
The fundraising page can be found by CLICKING HERE.
