Virtual Patient Assistant (VPA)

This technology is an Internet of Things (IoT) device aimed at helping patients who are experiencing delirium. The device reminds patients to complete daily tasks, recognizes medical emergencies, and prevents falls in high risk patients through the use of real-time monitoring. It also helps reduce the labor of conducting check-ins, medication monitoring and charting by nurses. Created on a cloud-based system, this technology sends all information directly to the nursing teams in the hospital.

Background:
As the elderly population increases, the need for better treatments and technology is also increasing. Continued direct observation for cognitively impaired elderly patients is extremely vital in today's medical world. Unfortunately, 35% of a patient's time spent in the hospital is unsupervised. In addition, insufficient management/detection of delirium has cost the health care industry approximately $143 billion.

Applications:

• Hospitalized patients in need of constant supervision
• Patients suffering from delirium or dementia
• Elderly populations
• Drug/alcohol rehabilitation patients

Advantages:

• Aims at making patients feel more comfortable in their surroundings
• Aids the nursing staff
• Allows for continuous interaction with patients in need of 24/7 supervision
• Capable of connecting to the internet
• Recognizes medical emergencies
• Catered to each specific patient's needs

Status: issued patent #11,594,328