Patient Status Engine for wireless monitoring of vital signs

The technology described in this briefing is the Patient Status Engine (PSE). It uses wireless technology for continuous remote monitoring of vital signs.

The innovative aspects are that the PSE automatically captures data and calculates vital signs from wireless biosensors. This data automatically calculates a person's National Early Warning Score (NEWS) 2 and alerts healthcare teams to decline in a person's health.

The intended place in therapy would be in health or social care settings. It would be used as an alternative to standard bedside monitors or physiological observations in people who need frequent or continuous vital signs monitoring. It is not indicated for use in intensive care units.

The main points from the evidence summarised in this briefing are from 6 studies (1 randomised controlled trial and 5 observational studies) including a total of 499 adults and 992 children. They show that the PSE is as effective or better than standard monitoring in capturing physiological measurements across patient groups.

Key uncertainties around the evidence are that only 1 study reports clinical outcomes. The evidence mostly reports how the PSE is used to detect physiological measurements. More research is needed to show how the PSE affects clinical care and outcomes in health and social care settings.

The cost of the PSE is £10 to £30 (excluding VAT) per person per day. This includes capital and setup costs, training, support, and integration into the site's electronic medical records or hospital information system.