AT a time when social distancing is the order of the day, especially in clinical settings such as medical wards and emergency rooms – and where personnel protection equipment is hard to come by – the Borneo state of Sarawak rises to the occasion with a remote temperature monitoring gadgetry. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3,5″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ]
Perhaps, this is just what the doctor ordered – or may be what the triage nurse dreamt about – a gadget that will help her and her colleagues keep a safe distance from a Covid-19 person under investigation (PUI).
For this innovation, credit goes to group of researchers from the Swinburne University in the state who have developed an application that can remotely monitor the temperature of PUIs, whether they are in a hospital’s emergency room, medical ward or locked down at home under the movement control order.
Speaking to The Petri Dish today, Professor Patrick Then who led the three-man team into creating such a device says the idea came about in January when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its height in Wuhan and spreading to other Chinese provinces.
He says he shared his idea on the “urgent need” to develop the remote temperature monitoring system with a colleague, also a lecturer and researcher at the School of ICT and also roped in a master’s student from the same faculty.
“The idea jelled, and we ventured to develop the device,” says Then, who is also director of Swinburne’s Centre for Digital Future.
Developed within one week, the Stay Home Notification (SHN) app is based on SHN issuance principle whereby only users issued with the notice by the authority or their employers will be reporting their status.
Then said the temperature monitoring device uses a US-made, FDA-approved Vivalnk temperature patch, an Android application and Cloud facilities for Dashboard as well as intelligent analytics.
Says Then, the app aims to assist the government’s efforts in minimising the spread of Covid-19 throughout the MCO period as people under lock down at home can also be monitored remotely.
“Individuals who are required to be quarantined can use the app to report their current location and photo to the authorities. The app can be downloaded for free by any individual, healthcare service officers, as well as public and private organisations and institutions for monitoring purposes,” says Then.
According to him, at the present time more than 20 subjects who have been issued with stay home notices (SHN) are using the app. It is also being used by the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) while other medical facilities such as KPJ Kuching and Penang Health Department are using it on a trial basis.
“The app also ensures healthcare workers comply with organisation policies and house rules and that they engage in safe behaviour and practice. It’s definitely a great tool to use during this outbreak and hopefully helps to flatten the pandemic’s curve,” adds Then.
This monitoring system also helps to reduce the workload of the relevant nursing personnel to enable them to focus on other pressing issues.
“There are two conditions for the app to work. First, the users have granted permission for the app to capture their location and selfie, and second, the users are issued with SHN by the authority or employer,” Then explained.
According to Then, there are plans to further enhance the app with a special ringtone to warn the individuals that they have moved outside of their designated boundary, while another enhanced feature is to link the app with a wireless body temperature monitoring device.pd
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