Dublin-based digital health firm patientMpower has developed a remote monitoring solution for COVID-19 on behalf of the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE).

This enables monitoring of otherwise healthy patients with mild to moderate symptoms who are in self-isolation. 

The national programme is already operating across several hospitals in Ireland, including the Mater, St James's and Beaumont Hospitals in Dublin, with others currently at the on-boarding stage. 

More than 50 patients with the virus are already being monitored, with capacity for many more.

The COVID-19 patient app links to a wireless pulse oximeter device, which measures patients’ oxygen saturation (a key indicator of respiratory distress). Patients also use the app to record their level of breathlessness, temperature and other symptoms. 

Information captured is immediately available for health service staff to view in a secure patient data portal, allowing them to make appropriate decisions about care.

The company is also offering a separate a "hospital avoidance" remote monitoring platform to help healthcare organisations provide care to patients with underlying respiratory conditions, who are at high risk of complications should they contract the virus. This uses clinical grade assessment of lung function (spirometry) as well as monitoring oxygen saturation and symptoms.

WHY IT MATTERS 

At a time when massive demands are being placed on health services, remote monitoring technology aims to preserve capacity in hospitals for those with more severe symptoms or underlying conditions

THE LARGER CONTEXT 

patientMpower provides solutions across a range of therapy areas including lung disease, kidney and lung transplantation and kidney dialysis. 

Its solutions are among many health tech solutions being used in the fight to track, test or treat Covid-19. 

ON THE RECORD 

Eamonn Costello, CEO of patientMpower, said: "We’re an experienced provider of remote monitoring solutions in lung disease, and we knew we had key expertise to help in this crisis. The technology we’ve developed on behalf of the health service in Ireland will preserve capacity in hospitals for those who need it most. But equally as important is protecting vulnerable patients with respiratory conditions during this time.”

Martin Curley, head of digital transformation at the HSE, said: "Technology has a massive role to play in this crisis. With remote monitoring of Covid-19 we can save our hospital resources for patients who need them most, but quickly triage patients if they begin to show more severe symptoms whilst they are in self-isolation at home. We can also continue to provide routine care to our vulnerable patients whilst keeping them out of hospital, shielding them from exposure to the virus."