Bristol City Council has announced plans to trial Technicare's remote monitoring platform as part of its Technology Enabled Care (TEC) initiative. The council aims to enhance its support services for older adults, particularly those recently discharged from hospitals, to enable them to live independently for longer.
Traditionally, the TEC equipment provided by the council, such as pendant alarms, has offered reactive support by generating alerts after an event, such as a fall, has occurred. However, the council's TEC project team recognizes the need for a more proactive approach to ensure the well-being of service users. They are now exploring the potential benefits of a remote monitoring solution with predictive analytics technology.
The trial will involve the implementation of Technicare's platform, which collects data from wearable devices like Fitbits. These devices monitor various metrics, including activity levels, sleep patterns, heart rate, and SpO2 (oxygen saturation). The collected data is then transformed into actionable insights through real-time dashboards and escalating risk alerts.
By applying predictive analytics and unique decision tree algorithms, the Technicare solution aims to identify early changes in a person's well-being and predict the likelihood of negative events, such as falls or urinary tract infections (UTIs) that may require hospital intervention if left untreated. This proactive approach will allow for informed decision-making and preventative care.
During the trial, a selected group of service users who already benefit from telecare, such as pendant alarms, will be equipped with Fitbit devices. This will enable a direct comparison between the Technicare solution's ability to identify deteriorations in activity levels and the users' own incident reports, such as falls. In case of a participant falling, the trial will also consider the reasons behind the fall and how they responded to welfare check phone calls.
The Bristol City Council's trial of Technicare's remote monitoring platform represents a significant step towards revolutionizing the provision of care for older adults. By harnessing the power of wearable devices and advanced analytics, the council aims to intervene proactively, potentially preventing negative events and hospitalizations. If successful, this innovative approach could have far-reaching implications for elderly care, enabling individuals to maintain their independence and well-being in the comfort of their own homes.
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