Refinement of a Digital Monitoring System to Reduce Risk of Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries

Project Summary/Abstract The goal of the proposed SBIR project is to develop, implement, and demonstrate the feasibility of a Digital Pressure Ulcer Monitoring (DPM) system to reduce the risk of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers (HAPIs). HAPIs are a common, costly, and serious problem for public health. Ocuvera’s DPIM system will use data from three-dimensional video processing and custom algorithms to detect and predict risky patient behaviors as well as to automate nurse record keeping related to HAPIs. During Phase I, algorithms were refined, tested, and customized to different subtle patient behaviors that are related to risk of HAPI development. We implemented these algorithms in a proof-of-concept DPIM system that was evaluated in a clinical environment. During Phase II, we will refine existing algorithms to address clinical feedback gathered during Phase I, collect additional data, and conduct field testing at partner clinical sites. The product resulting from this research will prevent injury and promote health in acute care and rehabilitation settings, thus improving health outcomes and quality of life for patients and healthcare workers.