EarlySense
Contact Free and Continuous Patient Monitoring Technology

Founded in 2004, EarlySense took its roots from a visionary goal to develop an intelligent Patient Monitoring (PM) tool for tracking respiratory patterns in asthma patients. The tool allowed caretakers to gain predictive capabilities around forecasting asthma attacks before its actual occurrence. Motivated by the accomplishment of this first venture, EarlySense expanded their enterprise-class product to proactively measure other broader concerns such as cardiac cycles, pressure ulcers, and patient falls. “Our company weaves cutting-edge technology with field knowledge to transform organizational capabilities all in an effort to avoid adverse patient events,” says Tim O’Malley, President, EarlySense.

Headquartered in Waltham, MA, the company offers the EarlySense System that acts as a consolidated platform for monitoring heartbeat, respiratory rate, decubitus ulcers, and patient motion. The platform encompasses components such as unique sensors placed under a patient’s mattress or in a chair, bedside monitor, Central Display Station (CDS), and handheld devices. The sensor measures vibration and calculates motion, HeartBeats Per Minute (BPM), and breathes per minute which detect any changes from regular patterns. In the event of any change in a patient’s status, the platform alerts the nurses through the CDS, large screens deployed at noticeable locations, and handheld devices. “The flexible and contact free nature of our PM platform makes it most patient and family-friendly,” says O’Malley.

Delivering further benefits, the EarlySense platform offers capabilities for secured and continuous monitoring. “Patients could be at potential risk because of certain delays in monitoring,” delineates O’Malley. The presence of a bed sensor to monitor patients on a continual basis facilitates caregivers to make important decisions on the basis of vital information. In this light, O’Malley explains, “While general rounding measurements provide a dozen readings in four hours, our sensors capture two data points per second that amounts to more than 20,000 data points in four hours.” Building on enormous amounts of data empowers clinical teams to improve the quality of care and save lives. Besides offering solutions for hospitals, the company delves to provide HomeCare solutions for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM). Working and performing studies on similar lines of hospital care, the HomeCare solutions involve placing an ultra-sensitive sensor under a bed or chair to measure key parameters.

The only exception is the evaluation of risk stratification on CDS, which enables HomeCare agencies to detect patient deterioration much earlier. “Such preemptive analysis and prioritization of patient needs facilitate quicker intervention and may help prevent hospitalization or patient readmis-sion,” expresses O’Malley.

The entire emphasis is on proactive versus reactive care which widens the door for contact free technology

The company’s proficiency in offering a varied range of PM solutions is a result of the company’s knack to work hand-in-hand with clients. In the case of a Georgia based hospital, the use of EarlySense System paved the way for clinical teams to experience greater accuracy and productivity in monitoring pressure ulcer patients. The client was bogged down by delays in patient supervision and wanted to opt for a system that provides continuous vital signs and motion monitoring for general care patients. After weighing the pros and cons, the client adopted the EarlySense System, as it met their complete requirement. Started on a pilot basis within 22 beds, EarlySense went on to extend its services for a total of 75beds. “Our platform’s ability to provide motion analysis and patient turn reminders enabled the client to experience a 60 percent reduction in pressure ulcers,” proclaims O’Malley.

Moving parallel with evolving trends, EarlySense will continue to infuse progressive technological trends into their PM solutions. “The entire emphasis is on proactive versus reactive care which widens the door for contact free technology,” says O’Malley. Leveraging such bright opportunities, the company will pursue to invest its capabilities across various healthcare environments.