Innovations in Critical Care: Stopping Patients Dying in Hospital – A Systems Engineering Approach

Innovations in Critical Care: Stopping Patients Dying in Hospital – A Systems Engineering Approach

A/Prof Chris Wright
Director of Clinical Programs, Monash University

Time: 21 July 2015, 18:00 AEDT (Refreshments from 17:30)

Venue: Engineering House, 21 Bedford St, North Melbourne, VIC 3051

Abstract

There is an increasing recognition that hospitals can be dangerous places. Some of this risk is related to the severity of patients’ illness, but some is related to poor decision making by clinical staff. The progressive specialisation of medicine may have something to do with this – a lack of a central “coordination” process.

In response to this, health care systems have implemented Rapid Response Teams (or Medical Emergency Teams – MET), which are to be called when specific physiological criteria are met. The efficacy of MET teams is not established, the data are unclear; part of the problem may be the lack of activation of the system.

This talk will focus on the future of ubiquitous monitoring systems for hospital inpatients – what sensors are needed, how is the data to be integrated and how an intelligent response to be activated.

Biography

Chris Wright is a Fellow of the College of Critical Care Medicine, and of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and he has studied physics at Monash University. He was the director of the Intensive Care Unit at Southern Health (now Monash Health) and is now the Director of Clinical Programs for the medical course at Monash University.