The Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre’s (TGHC) highly regarded wound care program has partnered with Curiato Inc. in the development of its smart surface monitoring platform technology. Both Curiato Inc. and the TGHC understand that preventing pressure injuries (skin breakdown) helps to relieve patient suffering, greatly improving their outcomes, and provides substantial support for the nurses who care for them. The goal for the nurse-led initiative is to close the existing gap in bedside monitoring capability.
resented at the Society of Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) virtual symposium on July 24-26, 2020. This presentation poster written by acclaimed panel including lead author Nicola Waters, PhD, RN, MSc, highlights Curiato’s findings from its initial trial conducted at The Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre.
The trial was focused on the feasibility of a new novel smart sensor platform for monitoring patients at risk of pressure injuries. Interface pressure and skin microclimate have been identified as critical risk factors in pressure injury development. At present, continuous monitoring of these conditions is currently not possible in most clinical settings, and reviews of monitoring technologies show that sensor devices are associated with a substantial reduction in the risk of pressure injuries.
The study centred on adults that were hospitalized for more than 18 hours a day who were at-risk of pressure injuries, as defined by the InterRAI Pressure Injury Risk Assessment Scale, with or without a present pressure injury. Participants received the usual standard of care, including manual repositioning as appropriate, while placed on the smart surface for timed intervals. A total of 104 participants were included in the study.
The smart surface platform is comprised of an array of sensors embedded within a thin, flexible surface that is placed underneath the bed sheet while covering the mattress. Sensors gather data from the subject’s bedding surface in the form of interface pressure (mmHg), temperature (Celsius) and humidity (0-100% RH) at four second intervals. For the initial analysis, data related to mobility/activity status were extracted from the head to toe assessment forms. A comparative statistical analysis was conducted between the two datasets.
Results concluded that manual repositioning and visual inspection of the skin require resources, especially time, that may be limited due to high patient acuity and competing demands. The novel smart sensor platform can continuously measure pressure injury risk factors accurately and has the potential to enhance pressure injury prevention approaches. Download the poster below for a more in-depth view of our study.
In the video below, Jake Tran, President & CEO of The Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre discusses the hospital’s partnership with Curiato, and the difference it has made with regards to the level of care provided at the hospital.