In an effort to help prevent hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, El Camino Hospital, Pleasanton, Calif, is using the Leaf Patient Monitoring system to monitor the position and movement of patients at risk for bedsores.

A news release from the hospital reports that it made the decision to begin using the system following a 6-month long 138 patient study. The study’s results reportedly suggested a dramatic improvement in compliance with the hospital’s patient turn protocols. Baseline data indicated that turn compliance was about 64%. Once the full system was deployed, the release says, turn compliance was increased to 98%.

The release states that the Leaf system features a small, lightweight, wearable sensor designed to electronically monitor a patient’s position and movements. Data collected by the sensor is communicated wirelessly to central monitoring stations or mobile devices, allowing caregivers to check on patient position and movement. The system is built to provide alerts when necessary to ensure all patients who are wearing a Leaf Sensor are repositioned according to their prescribed turning schedules to reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers. The device has been cleared for sale by FDA 510(k).

Chris Tarver, MS, RN, CRN, director of Medical Surgical Services, El Camino Hospital, emphasizes the organization’s pride in its application of technology built to improve both patient safety and the quality of care provided by reducing pressure ulcers to patients who are most at risk.

Mark Weckwerth, Leaf Healthcare CEO, adds, “Our goal is to help healthcare providers end the risk of pressure ulcers that threaten patient care. We are proud that a recognized healthcare technology leader like El Camino Hospital has tested our system and confirmed its value as a tool to enhance patient safety and improve patient care.”

Source(s): El Camino Hospital, Leaf Healthcare Inc