Continuous monitoring in COVID-19 care: a retrospective study in time of crisis

BACKGROUND: A new monitoring system was implemented to support nursing staff and physicians on the COVID-19 ward. This system was designed to remotely monitor vital signs, to calculate an automated Early Warning Score, and to help identify patients at risk of deterioration. METHODS: Hospitalized patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were connected to 2 wireless sensors measuring vital signs. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the occurrence of adverse events during hospitalization. Heart and respiratory rate were monitored continuously and an automated EWS was calculated every 5 minutes. Data were compared between groups. RESULTS: Prior to the occurrence of adverse events, significantly higher median heart and respiration rate and significantly lower median SPO(2) values were observed. Mean and median automated EWS were significantly higher in patients with an adverse event. CONCLUSION: Continuous monitoring systems might help to detect clinical deterioration in COVID-19 patients at an earlier stage.