The monitoring equipment suddenly failed in the children’s department of the Treant Zorggroep in Emmen. The hospital quickly purchased new systems. But the technology of these advanced surveillance monitors turned out to be more sensitive. The youngest patients cause the most alarms: all their movements and sounds trigger signals that arrive as alarms on the Central Post or smartphone. A basic measurement showed that this amounts to 1,798 alarms every day: an overload that was difficult for healthcare staff to process.
The solution
To tackle the resulting alarm fatigue, the MediScore Medical Device Data Gateway (MDDG) from itemedical turned out to be the solution. After a basic measurement and analysis, the project team gained insight into its own alarm data. The application of the MDDG with intelligent software ensured safe alarm filtering and delay of the low priority alarms. This immediately resulted in fewer signals for the nurses (only clinically relevant). In the next step, itemedical analyzed the updated alarm situation and further refined the system with the Treant Zorggroep.
The surveillance monitors are now muted: no alarm sounds can be heard from the equipment surrounding this youngest patient group. From now on, the alarms will only be received at the central desk and the nurses’ mobile phones. That number is 599 alarms per day, which means peace is returning. The detailed reports give the hospital insight into trends. The department thus further improves its work processes.
What changed
- 66% fewer unnecessary alarms per 24 hours across the department
- Silence around the bed
- Only relevant alarms for healthcare staff
- Decreased response time to critical alarms for nurses
- Detailed reports provide new insights into the alarms
- Estimating trends (new patterns) thanks to new data
- Work processes more efficient
A multidisciplinary team is necessary, because a medical alarm system has an impact on all links in the chain. Itemedical provided customized training and short consultation lines, even at night if necessary.
Angelique Kroeze – Head of Parent and Child Center, The Clinic, The Day Care and Pediatric Outpatient Clinic,
Children’s Department Treant Zorggroep, Emmen, The Netherlands