Karolinska University Hospital to take part in new EU project aiming to save more lives through remote monitoring

The purpose of the Nightingale project is to develop a wireless portable technology for the remote monitoring of vital functions, for example pulse, heart rate and breathing, in high-risk patients, both at the hospital and in the home, among other things following an operation. The objective is for care providers to receive information in real time if a patient’s situation should deteriorate, for example through bleeding or pneumonia. Early information increases the possibility to prevent serious complications, which is expected to save more lives.

The project is part of a new EU programme called Horizon 2020. Funding is applied for in a tough international competition to enable care providers to run development projects in collaboration with industry, and much of the funding goes to finance the development of new solutions. The Nightingale project was ranked number two overall and was awarded a grant of EUR 5.3 million. Karolinska University Hospital is one of five European university hospitals that are to participate in the Nightingale project, alongside Leuven Teaching Hospital, University College London Hospital, UMC Utrecht and Uniklinik Aachen.
 
“My hope is that the finished product will be a small mobile device that the patient can easily carry on their person without hindering their day-to-day activities, but which contains advanced technology that enables data to be transmitted securely to the care provider. Such a system should also contain the possibility to communicate directly with the care provider via sound and video. This would mean improved security for patients. If their condition were to deteriorate, the care staff would be able to see this straight away and contact the patient. This would drastically improve the possibilities to save lives and avoid serious complications,” says David Konrad, who is responsible for Nightingale at Karolinska University Hospital.

The finished system will be able to be integrated with a care provider’s existing systems. The project will involve patients and care staff in order to ensure that the system is user-friendly for both the patient and the staff.

Read more about the Nightingale project here:
http://www.nightingale-h2020.eu/

Kim Sjölund
Press Manager
+46 8 517 740 10
kim.sjolund@karolinska.se

Karolinska is one of Europe's largest university hospitals and together with Karolinska Institutet we have a leading role within the field of medical breakthroughs. Our aim is to always put the patient first by providing the best possible medical expertise, treatment and care. Through innovation and active collaboration with industry and academia, we are committed to being internationally prominent in medicine, research and education.