U Care, We Care: development of a smart all-in-one telecare system to reduce staff workload and risk

Cheng Hsin General Hospital is a teaching hospital with leading cardiovascular care in Asia. A COVID-19 Preparedness & Control Committee was established as early as December 2019, with a complete package of measures including the adequate supply of PPE.

Early on, the hospital decided to install a telecare system for isolation wards. However, it lacked a clinically applicable tele-thermometer. With strong leadership support and multi-department collaborations, the hospital worked with the supplier of the newest device to overcome its technical gaps. A 24-hour auto-monitoring and auto-alarming comprehensive telecare system was finally developed by April, one of the earliest in Taiwan, which reduced manual measurements and saved at least 360 minutes a day for each frontline staff.

This telecare system improves the accuracy of clinical monitoring and supports clinical decisions. Measurements on body temperature, blood oxygen, BP and heart rates were immediately and accurately stored, transmitted and analyzed. When the patient has a fever, the in-built bluetooth alarm goes off automatically and alerts the medical staff. The continuous monitoring of vital signs helps detect deterioration earlier than intermittent manual measurements. The system also reduces staff burden and decreases the number of PPEs used, making it a more environmentally-friendly treatment option.