Unmet Need / Invention Novelty: Traditional mobility metrics that are used to assess patient ambulation during rehabilitation protocols are often prone to user measurement errors, do not accurately capture ambulation events, and require manual recording by staff. In order to circumvent these limitations, we report an automated location tracking system for remote in-patient monitoring and ambulation during hospital recovery.
Technical Details: Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a remote tracking system for in-patient ambulation monitoring. The tracking system consists of a series of infrared sensors installed throughout a hospital ward. As a patient moves, an infrared badge relays information such badge ID, location, and time stamp to a server which calculates the distance travelled and average ambulation speed. By analyzing the information using algorithms, real-time data is displayed to nurses and physicians to track movement and aid recovery. Initial use in a hospital has demonstrated accurate ambulation measurements in 99.8% agreement with current clinical measurement protocols.
Value Proposition:
· Remote tracking system for patient ambulation monitors patient locations, distances traveled, speed, and gait to quantify patient mobility data
· Robust and accurate measurements are obtained through the use of commercially available remote tracking infrared sensors
· Integrated data analysis facilitates convenient quantitative assessment of in-patient movement data for customized medical protocols and favorable patient outcomes
Looking for Partners to: Develop and commercialize the remote patient mobility tracking system
Stage of Development: Prototype
Inventors: David Bychkov, In cheol Jeong, Peter Season
Patent Status: Pending
Publication(s):
I. cheol Jeong et al., “Using a Real-Time Location System for Assessment of Patient Ambulation in a Hospital Setting,” Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil., vol. 98, no. 7, pp. 1366-1373.e1, 2017
I.c. Jeong et al., “Assessment of Patient Ambulation Profiles to Predict Hospital Readmission, Discharge Location, and Length of Stay in a Cardiac Surgery Progressive Care Unit”, JAMA Netw Open., 2020;3(3).
