Wearable devices for remote monitoring of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Vietnam

• Published in: Wellcome open research Vol. 7; p. 257
• Main Authors: Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh, Trung, Truong Ngoc, Khanh, Phan Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Nhat, Phung Tran Huy, Van, Hoang Minh Tu, Hai, Ho Bich, Thuy, Duong Bich, Tung, Nguyen Le Nhu, Khoa, Dao Bach, Vien, Tran Thi Dong, Hao, Nguyen Van, Oanh, Pham Kieu Ngyuyet, Khoa, Tran Dang, Phong, Nguyen Thanh, Nguyen, Nguyen Thanh, Huynh, Julie, Walker, Timothy M, Van Nuil, Jennifer, An, Luu Phuoc, McKnight, Jacob, Toan, Le Mau, Tan, Le Van, Dung, Nguyen Thanh, Truong, Nguyen Thanh, Thwaites, C Louise
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 2022
• Subjects: COVID-19; Low-middle-income countries; resource-limited; Pulse oximetry; Wearable monitoring
• ISSN: 2398-502X; 2398-502X
• DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18026.1

Patients with severe COVID-19 disease require monitoring with pulse oximetry as a minimal requirement. In many low- and middle- income countries, this has been challenging due to lack of staff and equipment. Wearable pulse oximeters potentially offer an attractive means to address this need, due to their low cost, battery operability and capacity for remote monitoring. Between July and October 2021, Ho Chi Minh City experienced its first major wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection, leading to an unprecedented demand for monitoring in hospitalized patients. We assess the feasibility of a continuous remote monitoring system for patients with COVID-19 under these circumstances as we implemented 2 different systems using wearable pulse oximeter devices in a stepwise manner across 4 departments.