Zebra Technologies Introduces Smart, Non-Invasive Way for Hospitals to Track, Provide Real-Time Feedback on Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Leiden University Medical Center selects Zebra's Time Tracking Solution

LONDON, Zebra Technologies Corporation, a global leader in solutions and services that provide real-time visibility into organizations' assets, people and transactions, and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in Leiden, the Netherlands today announced the first commercial deployment of the Time Tracking Solution for Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients. The technology will be shared for the first time during the European Society for Cardiology Congress in London. 

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death globally, leading to 17.3 million fatalities annually, and that number is expected to rise to more than 23.6 million by 2030. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) occurs when blood flow is blocked in the coronary artery. As a result, part of the heart muscle is short on oxygen (ischemia) and damaged. 

LUMC's Cardiology Department set up the Door-To-Balloon (DTB) Task Force focused on ischemic time in heart infarction patients. DTB is the crucial period of time from when the patient enters the hospital to when the blockage is removed to restore blood flow by inflating a balloon during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In order to reduce DTB time, real-time, accurate time tracking, evaluation and feedback is essential.

Zebra Technologies worked with LUMC to develop a solution powered by Zatar, Zebra's Internet of Things (IoT) platform to enable hospitals to track patients and provide real-time feedback on DTB time. The real-time data provided allows all members of the caregiving team including cardiologists, ED physicians, nurses, EMS staff, technicians and administrators to focus on the reduction of DTB time.

KEY FACTS

• LUMC completed a 6-month, 100-patient pilot review of the Time Tracking Solution and the solution has now moved into commercialization phase for all AMI patients. 
• The solution provides automatic time recording and real-time visibility into the time consumed on the AMI patients in treatment. 
• Hospitals can start using the solution very quickly as it installs in days without IT support and does not require significant training of staff. 
• The solution can be used in other time-critical emergency care, including Door-To-Needle (DTN) for tracking the time in response to acute ischemic stroke. 
• The solution is powered by Zebra's Internet of Things (IoT) platform Zatar, Bluetooth Smart wristbands and digital display devices installed in-route from door to catherization lab in the hospital. 

Source: Zebra Technologies