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An early warning system for the detection of coronavirus symptoms among front-line medical staff at Cork University Hospital (CUH) has reportedly delivered promising results within days of its implementation.
The Covid-19 Remote Early Warning (Crew) System remotely identifies healthcare personnel who may be developing a temperature, which is symptomatic of the disease. A quarter of all diagnosed cases of coronavirus in Ireland are among health workers.
Crew was developed by healthcare staff, software industry specialists and CUH experts. It combines existing technologies to enable early detection of coronavirus symptoms.
The only common variable in coronavirus cases is an increase in body temperature. The crew remotely identifies healthcare personnel who may be developing a temperature that may be symptomatic of Covid-19 and therefore should not report for work.
Trials have been underway since earlier this month at Cork Hospital.
Five volunteers have been using armpit thermometers connected to smartphones, and the temperature readings are sent to the monitoring platform every hour. When a staff member’s temperature shows signs of being elevated, they are alerted to take appropriate action and isolate themselves.
More volunteers are being added. Increased use of portable devices improves data and tests accuracy and effectiveness over a longer period of time.
Smartphone
The crew consists of a portable digital thermometer sensor; a sensor platform such as a smartphone, smart watch, or portable device running the Crew application; and a cloud-based server that monitors incoming data and generates automatic alarms if temperature thresholds are broken.
Crew components (Covid-19 Remote Early Warning System) monitor body temperature and alert health workers immediately when they must self-isolate
It is being developed in partnership between the UCC School of Medicine and Health and the Cork-based software consultancy 8 West, with the help of the Assert Center, which uses technology to improve patient outcomes, and the Tyndall National Institute at UCC. .
“CUH emergency department staff is delighted to have helped create an innovative 24-hour monitoring device like this. We are 24 hours a day on the front line, and it is good to know that efforts like this are being made to support our well-being 24 hours a day as well, “said emergency medicine specialist Stephen Cusack.
8 West Consulting CEO John Murphy said Crew had the potential to help not only individual physicians but the hospital population in general and the general public.
“The goal is to make the solution available to as many front-line staff as possible in Ireland and around the world.”
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