The Future of Wearable Technology: The Hospitalized Patient

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The Wearable Technologies Conference 2015 (July 9-10, 2015) in San Francisco will feature a presentation on a revolutionary wearable sensor that promises to help medical personnel prevent pressure ulcers and other hospital-acquired conditions by monitoring patient movement and alerting caregivers when susceptible patients need to be turned and repositioned.

The Wearable Technologies Conference showcases new and emerging technologies that have the potential to transform health and well-being.  Barrett Larson, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Leaf Healthcare, Inc., will discuss how wearable activity-tracking technology can be used in the hospital environment to help improve diagnostic capabilities and therapeutic outcomes.   

Dr. Larson will also present a vision for the future of wearable sensors. "There is overwhelming data to support the benefits of progressive mobility in hospitalized patients," said Dr. Larson. "The Leaf system monitors and optimizes care throughout the throughout the mobility spectrum, from bed rest to ambulation."

Leaf Healthcare's technology platform is currently being used to help eliminate hospital-acquired pressure ulcers. "Pressure ulcers are very expensive to treat and they pose a huge burden to our healthcare system," Dr Larson said.  "Pressure ulcers are just the beginning, the benefits of progressive mobility are far-reaching.  Even our customers are finding new and exciting ways to use the Leaf technology.  Recently our system was deployed in a Labor and Delivery department to help ensure that laboring women are moving sufficiently, since frequent repositioning has been shown increase the speed labor and reduce C-Section rates."

The Leaf system is comprised of a small, lightweight, wearable sensor that electronically monitors a patient's position and movements.  Data collected by the sensor is communicated wirelessly to central monitoring stations or mobile devices so that caregivers can monitor and be alerted to patient position and movement.  The system provides alerts when necessary to ensure that all patients wearing a Leaf Sensor are repositioned according to their prescribed turning schedules to reduce incidence of hospital acquired conditions such as pressure ulcers.  The device has been cleared for sale by FDA 510(k).   

About Leaf Healthcare, Inc.

Leaf Healthcare creates wireless patient monitoring solutions for health care providers seeking more efficient, cost effective ways to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes.  The Leaf Patient Monitoring System wirelessly monitors a patient's position and movement and uses that data to automate and document the management of prescribed turn protocols for patients at risk for hospital acquired pressure ulcers.  The company continually seeks to incorporate more patient monitoring features and capabilities into its technology platform, enabling ever-broader improvements to patient safety, clinical efficiency and patient outcomes. To learn more, visit www.leafhealthcare.com