Cedar Park Hospital First in Greater Austin to Implement Real-Time Monitoring of Patients

Monitoring a patient’s vital information just got much easier for doctors and nurses at Cedar Park Regional Medical Center.

The hospital is the first in the Greater Austin area to implement ViSi Mobile digital monitoring technology, reported Hill Country News. The ViSi Mobile System is a non-intrusive monitor worn on a patient’s wrist capable of monitoring heart and pulse rates, heart rhythm, blood oxygenation, respiration rate and skin temperature. It also checks blood pressure without having to use an uncomfortable strap.

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Krista Baty, the hospital’s chief nursing officer, told Hill Country News that the new system is a big improvement.

“Typically patient vitals are taken every four to six hours. This is a way to monitor patients constantly, giving peace of mind to both the patient and the nurses,” Baty told the newspaper.

The device isn’t only appreciated by the staff, but also by the patients.

Patients no longer have to be woken up for tests, they can shower with the device on and if they want to get out of bed they aren’t dragging any wires behind them.

But while the ViSi system is comfortable and convenient, it’s also incredibly useful.

“The number one reason for it is for patient safety,” Baty told Hill Country News. “The earlier we can help catch things the better. If we can find something out early we can prevent the patient from deteriorating to a higher level of care.”

Vital information used to only be taken by nurses during their rounds, but those periodic checks could not continuously provide information about a patient. The ViSi can.

The Cedar Park Regional Medical Center has been using the technology for the past month. The next closest hospital that uses the technology is in San Antonio.