Indian Navy sets up remote monitoring facility at VIMS in Visakhapatnam

The sources confirmed that the whole project, from conceptualization to final implementation at VIMS and handing over to its Director VIMS was completed in 6 days.

A core team comprising of two officers and 4 workers of Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam under Eastern Naval Command, expeditiously designed it. (Photo | Special Arrangement) 

NEW DELHI: Indian Navy has worked out a solution to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission to medical staff supervising the COVID-19 patients requiring Intensive Care Unit.

The push to find, innovate such solution came after the Navy team visited Vishakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) to hand over Portable Multi feed Oxygen Manifold innovated by the team of naval Dockyard, Vishakhapatnam.

Indian Navy in an official press statement mentioned, “VIMS hospital is COVID-19 designated hospital catering to four adjoining districts for severe cases of COVID patients. Director VIMS had requested to explore the feasibility of providing a solution for remote monitoring of Vital Parameters of patients in ICU to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID to its health staff."

After the request was received, a core team comprising of two officers and 4 workers of Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam under Eastern Naval Command, expeditiously designed and implemented a solution, told Navy.

The sources confirmed that the whole project, from conceptualization to final implementation at VIMS and handing over to its Director VIMS was completed in 6 days.

Portable Multi feed Oxygen Manifold

Talking about the cost, a source added that it came less than a lakh for the entire configuration.

The Audio Visual output of the bedside Patient Monitoring System was converted to HDMI output and multiplexed for all 48 beds in ICU through a Digital Video Recorder and provided on a big display outside the ICUs where the staff sits.

The supervisor gets every parameter sitting at one place and with minimum needs to get in contact with the patient.

A source said, "While lesser number of people will be needed for monitoring the staff spared from this task can pay attention to other relevant requirements of the hospital."

Further, the same parameters through HDMI Ethernet converter have also been provided to the Doctors on their mobile over the internet.

The doctor can at any time from any place with internet connectivity, monitor his 48 patients in ICU.

There are options of focusing on single patient requiring extra attention.

Navy mentioned, "The facility includes monitoring all patients simultaneously or selecting as required including zooming to one patient and an audio alarm if any vitals are beyond.”