In terms of health, little changes can sometimes give significant clues as to what's wrong with a person. If the heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiration rate or temperature change, it may mean that there is something to do. This is why it is more important than ever for families, aged care providers, healthcare professionals and clinics all throughout Australia to choose the right vital sign monitor.

But picking a monitor isn't just about the features it offers. The right solution should be tailored to the patient, the care setting, the care monitoring needs and who is monitoring the data.

As remote monitoring devices become more and more popular, families and health care providers have more choices than ever before. However, how can you be sure which vital sign monitor is an ideal one for you?

What Is a Vital Sign Monitor?

Vital Sign Monitor is a medical equipment used to measure vital signs which give information about a person's condition.

The monitor could measure:

• Heart rate

• Blood pressure

• Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) is the measurement of oxygen in the blood.

• Respiratory rate

• Body temperature

• ECG or electrocardiogram

These measurements are traditionally monitored by taking them at predetermined times. This might be appropriate in certain contexts, but it may result in observation gaps.

Connected devices of today can offer more constant monitoring, enabling healthcare professionals or approved caregivers to see health data from afar. This is especially useful for older adults, home-bound patients, those with chronic diseases, and anyone who needs more frequent checks after being discharged from the hospital.

Why Choosing the Right Monitor Matters

All patients do not need the same amount of follow up. A person wishing to monitor their blood pressure periodically, may have very different requirements to someone installed in an aged care setting continuously monitoring vulnerable residents.

Here are some things to think about when selecting a monitor:

• Who will be operating the device?

• What should be assessed?

• Do you need to monitor occasionally or continuously?

• Will the data need to be accessed remotely?

• Can it be carried around?

• Is the information available to healthcare professionals?

• Will the device alert you to unusual readings?

A monitor should not add to the care process.

1. Consider Which Vital Signs You Need to Monitor

The first thing to consider is the number and type of measurements that the device measures.

Basic devices are those which measure one particular measurement, for instance blood pressure or oxygen saturation. This may suffice for personal monitoring. In more complicated care circumstances, however, when a number of measurements are accessible from a single device, a more comprehensive picture of the patient's condition can be offered.

For instance, if you are only interested in heart rate, this may not be enough information. Heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, temperature and ECG can be used together to help provide a fuller picture of physiological change.

A multi-parameter monitor can be helpful in the following instances:

• Those over the age of 80 years and aged care recipients.

• Patients who have had hospital care.

• In persons with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular diseases

• Home healthcare patients

• Post-operative recovery

• Patient transport and mobile care.

• Clinics that need constant supervision

VitalLeads is built on this multi-parameter principle, with multiple important measurements in a single portable monitoring package. It has a system that can be used for real-time monitoring and remote access via connected digital technology.

2. Decide Whether You Need Continuous or Occasional Monitoring

One of the most critical decisions to make when choosing a vital sign monitor is this one.

The standard household product can be used one or two times a day. This is useful for regular checks, but will not reveal between readings.

Continuous monitoring is unique. It can give continuous real-time visibility of vital signs which can alert authorised healthcare professionals or caregivers when vital signs change.

For instance, a person might be fine in the morning but unhappy later in the day. If the care team is monitoring all the time, they can have a more complete picture than if they only had occasional measurements.

That's where home health monitoring tools are proving to be very helpful. They can help to facilitate the interaction between patients, relatives and health care workers without the need for all health checkups to be conducted within a hospital or clinic.

But proper continuous monitoring should always be applied and used in a proper medical supervision. A monitor is not a substitute for medical evaluation.

3. Look for Remote Access and Connectivity

Healthcare is becoming more and more connected these days. A vital sign monitor should have the capability to provide the authorised user to view relevant data easily when required.

This can be comforting for families if their relatives are elderly and either in their own home or in an aged care setting. For health care professionals, remote access can complement these telehealth visits and continue care and enable more informed discussions.

A health care monitoring system that can be connected may be used to see data via:

• Smartphones

• Tablets

• Computers

• Web-based dashboards

• Dedicated healthcare applications

VitalLeads facilitates connected monitoring, in which vital sign data can be retrieved via digital channels, depending on the care setup. This can facilitate home care, aged care, clinics and remote patient monitoring applications. 

4. Check the Device’s Portability

A vital sign monitor can be utilized in a variety of different settings. It could be set up near the patient's bedside, wheeled from room to room, taken to patients' homes, or transported with patients.

This is one of the reasons why portability is a significant benefit.

A portable device should be:

• Lightweight

• Easy to operate

• Convenient to transport

• Adapted to a variety of care settings

• Specially built for use in everyday circumstances

In this aspect, smart remote monitoring devices can be advantageous over large-scale fixed monitoring devices.

For mobile teams, aged care staff, home care workers and other professionals, a portable monitor offers the flexibility to allow you to monitor patients from various locations.

5. Consider Alerts and Real-Time Information

Smart systems can do more than just record information; a monitor that does is useful.

High-end devices can detect that readings are outside set limits and alert the relevant parties. This can assist healthcare teams focus on possible changes earlier.

VitalLeads has smart alert features to aid in early identification of abnormal physiological changes. It's platform is designed to offer real-time details and help ongoing observation by clinical teams.

When looking at devices, remember that you can compare:

• Are there any thresholds that can be set for the alert?

• To whom is the alert sent to?

• Are notifications delivered in real time?

• Is it possible to look at historical trends?

• Do care team members easily understand the information?

Alerts need to be sensitively tailored to the patient's situation and clinical needs. Too many alerts can cause fatigue, and poorly configured alerts won't give the desired results.

6. Think About Accuracy, Certification, and Quality

Healthcare monitoring isn't just a simple consumer gadget. When the device is used to aid health care decisions, quality and compliance are important.

As you investigate an Australian monitor, consider what certifications, quality systems and medical device compliance are relevant.

VitalLeads Pro is made available as a TGA-approved medical device and is ISO 13485 compliant and CE marked. This proves the significance of quality management and regulatory needs within medical device development.

Consumers are advised to always verify the intended use of a device and consult with professionals for their expert advice on the appropriateness of a device.

7. Choose a Monitor That Fits the Care Environment

The optimal choice of monitor for a home user may not necessarily be the optimal choice for a hospital or aged care facility.

The needs of various environments vary.

Home Care

Families might require a solution that's portable, user-friendly, and can share information with health professionals.

Aged Care

On-going monitoring, a central access point, and alert systems to alert staff to potential problems for residents in vulnerable situations may benefit facilities.

Clinics

During treatment, consultation or observation time, the health care professional might need to get efficient monitoring.

Patient Transport

For mobile health care teams, equipment must be compact, functional, and be able to communicate important information during transport.

VitalLeads has been designed to serve a variety of healthcare applications such as post-operative, chronic disease management, patient transport, clinic and aged care, as well as home care.

8. Look Beyond the Hardware

A vital sign monitor is more than just the physical device.

The software and digital platform are of equal importance.

A modern monitoring solution can consist of:

• Mobile access

• Web-based dashboards

• Data sharing

• Historical trends

• Multi-user access

• Secure connectivity

• Automated alerts

With this, smart healthcare monitoring system technology is gaining more and more significance. The device gathers the data but software assists in making the data accessible for review and utilization by healthcare teams.

Before deciding on a system, make sure it will fit with your team's existing processes.

Technology that impresses may not impress if it is cumbersome and hard to use.

Why VitalLeads Is Worth Considering

VitalLeads provides Australian families, healthcare organizations, aged care providers and clinics with a portable and multi-parameter monitoring solution with built-in connectivity.

The VitalLeads Smart Vital Sign Monitor helps to monitor critical vital signs such as heart rate, non-invasive blood pressure, SpO2, respiratory rate, body temperature, and ECG. The Company's specialties also include real-time and remote home monitoring, aged care monitoring, clinic monitoring, and mobile healthcare monitoring.

The use of the approach is its emphasis on linking monitoring to actionable care. A connected system helps establish a more consistent flow of health information, which means the use of separate devices and intermittent manual checks would be eliminated.

VitalLeads also have free demonstration sessions, in person in Victoria and Zoom, so interested users and organisations can take a look at the devices before deciding.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to selecting a vital sign monitor, it's a significant choice, especially if you're picking one to help an older person, a recovering patient at home, or a person who needs constant monitoring.

Not all the device with a long list of features is the best. It is the solution that provides a good mixture of:

• Appropriate vital sign assessments

• Reliable monitoring

• Appropriate portability

• Remote access

• Useful alerts

• Quality and regulatory information

A simple routine into daily care.A simple routine into daily care.

Smart healthcare and connected health monitoring devices installed at home are making monitoring more accessible and flexible, as healthcare evolves in Australia.

VitalLeads offers a connected solution ideal for families and health care professionals who want to find a new way to monitor vital signs continuously in various care settings. The right technology can't replace professional care, but it can help healthcare teams to provide more information and help families feel more connected to the wellbeing of the people they care for.