Publications

Several institutions have studied the impact of AlertWatch on quality and safety. In particular, a recent study showed a reduction in length of stay and hospital charges when compared to surgeries where the software was not used.

2023

An Intraoperative Telemedicine Program to Improve Perioperative Quality Measures: The ACTFAST-3 Randomized Clinical Trial

Summary: This article describes the first portion of a multi-year study involving the use of remote monitoring during intraoperative care.

A Watchful Eye

Summary: This article describes the use of AlertWatch:OR in a perioperative command center at Washington University in St. Louis.

2021

Design of a novel multifunction decision support/alerting system for in-patient acute care, ICU and floor (AlertWatch:AC)

Summary: This paper describes a system developed for monitoring in-hospital acute care environments, AlertWatch:AC.

A Remote Surveillance Platform to Monitor General Care Ward Surgical Patients for Acute Physiologic Deterioration

Summary: This study looked at using a version of AlertWatch to continuously monitor patients in a low acuity unit for severe vital signs and laboratory abnormalities and automatically alert the ward team and a remote critical care anesthesiology team.

2020

User Perception of an Electronic Maternal Alerting System

Summary: This study evaluates the user experience of AlertWatch:OB. In particular, the study focused on maternal early warning features, including automated pages to providers.

Use of a Novel Electronic Maternal Surveillance System and the Maternal Early Warning Criteria to Detect Severe Postpartum Hemorrhage

Summary: This study evaluates the ability of an automated surveillance system (AlertWatch:OB) and the Maternal Early Warning Criteria (MEWC) to detect severely morbid postpartum hemorrhage (sPPH) after delivery.

2019

Consultation, Surveillance, Monitoring, and Intensive Care (COSMIC): A Novel 4-Tier Program to Identify and Monitor High-Risk Obstetric Patients From the Clinic to Critical Care

Summary: This study describes the COSMIC approach to obstetric care, a model that aims to more effectively direct resources to high-risk obstetric patients in a targeted and timely fashion.

Healthcare Provider Perceptions of a Novel Automated Maternal Electronic Surveillance System

Summary: This abstract, presented at the 2019 SOAP conference, summarized the findings of an anonymous online survey sent to providers on the labor and delivery unit. Most respondents felt that the system improved patient safety, communication, and response time to severe morbidity.

Anesthesiology Control Tower-Feasibility Assessment to Support Translation (ACTFAST): Mixed-methods study of a novel telemedicine-based support system for the operating room

Summary: This study describes usability testing and refinement of an innovative telemedicine-based clinical support system, the Anesthesiology Control Tower (ACT). It also reports stakeholders’ perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to implementation of the intervention.

2018

Design of a Novel Multifunction Decision Support Display for Anesthesia Care: AlertWatch OR

Summary: This study explains the goal of AlertWatch: OR is to improve the quality and safety of anesthetic care by providing enhanced situational awareness.

Impact of a Novel Multi-Parameter Decision Support System on Intraoperative Processes of Care and Postoperative Outcomes

, Summary: This study showed a reduction in length of stay of 1 day and a reduction in hospital charges of $3,603 when comparing AlertWatch users versus non-users. It also showed an improvement in intraoperative process measures. In particular, this table shows the process and outcome measure differences between users and non-users.

Study protocol for the Anesthesiology Control Tower—Feedback Alerts to Supplement Treatments (ACTFAST-3) trial: a pilot randomized controlled trial in intraoperative telemedicine

Summary: This study is a pragmatic, comparative effectiveness trial that will randomize approximately 12,000 adult surgical patients on an operating room (OR) level to control or to an intervention group. All OR clinicians will have access to decision support software within the OR as a part of enhanced standard intraoperative care. The ACT will monitor patients in both groups and will provide additional support to the clinicians assigned to intervention ORs.

Use of a novel electronic maternal surveillance system to generate automated alerts on the labor and delivery unit

Summary: This study demonstrates how the electronic maternal surveillance system is designed to reduce cognitive bias and improve timely clinical recognition of maternal deterioration. The automated paging algorithm drastically reduces paging frequency compared to paging for isolated vital sign abnormalities alone.

Anesthesiology Control Tower: Feasibility Assessment to Support Translation (ACT-FAST)-a feasibility study protocol.

Summary: This study describes the usability testing of an innovative telemedicine-based intra-operative clinical support system, the Anesthesiology Control Tower, in which a team led by an attending anesthesiologist will use a combination of established and novel information technologies to provide evidence-based support to their colleagues in the operating room.

2017

Design of a Novel Electronic Maternal Surveillance System on the Labor and Delivery Unit – Frequency of Automated Pages Based on Modifications to the Maternal Early Warning Criteria

Summary: This abstract, presented at the 2017 SOAP conference, discussed a reduction in pages, due to a modified paging algorithm.

2015

Behavioral Modification of Intraoperative Hyperglycemia Management with a Novel Real-time Audiovisual Monitor

Summary: This study associates AlertWatch with a significant increase in desirable intraoperative glycemic management behavior and may help achieve tighter intraoperative glycemic control.

Other Abstracts

A New Monitoring Display Improves Intraoperative Hemodynamic Management: AlertWatch

Summary: This abstract discussed the impact of AlertWatch:OR on intraoperative hemodynamic management.

Preoperative Glycemic Control with the Aid of AlertWatch System

Summary: This abstract discussed the treatment for intraoperative hyperglycemia.

Presenting Author: Subramanian Sathishkumar MBBS, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan

AlertStats: An Anonymous, Provider-Specific, Quality Metric Feedback System

Summary: This abstract, presented at the 2015 STA conference, discussed the use of AlertStats, an anonymous provider-specific feedback tool.