placeUnited States
Contact Us
Medtronic / Clinical Solutions / Medical Surgical Monitoring

Continous Monitoring and Patient Safety

Respiratory compromise — incidents of respiratory insufficiency, failure, and arrest — is a real threat to patients and health systems.([FOOTNOTE=Morris TA, Gay PC, MacIntyreNR, Hess DR, HannemanSK, Lamberti JP, Doherty DE, Chang L, Seckel MA. Respiratory Compromise as a New Paradigm for the Care of Vulnerable Hospitalized Patients. RespirCare 2017;62(4):497-512.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=])

It’s important to continuously monitor a patient. In a multisite study of 1,335 patients, respiratory depression episodes (RDE) were found to be common. Forty-six percent of subjects experienced RDEs.([FOOTNOTE=Khanna A, Bergese S, Jungquist CR, Morimatsu H, Uezono S, Lee S. Prediction of opioid-induced respiratory depression on inpatient wards using continuous capnography and oximetry: an international prospective, observational trial. Anesth Analg. 131(4):1012–1024, October 2020.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=])  97 percent of postoperative opioid-induced respiratory depression is preventable with better continuous monitoring and response.([FOOTNOTE=Lee LA, Caplan RA, Stephens LS, et al. Postoperative opioid-induced respiratory depression: a closed claims analysis. Anesthesiology. 2015;122(3):659–665.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=])

Nationwide, patient safety is a top hospital priority.([FOOTNOTE=Frost & Sullivan. Patient Safety in Healthcare Forecast to 2022. Frost & Sullivan Online Store. https://store.frost.com/patientsafety-inhealthcare-forecast-to-2022.html. Published Jan. 9, 2018. Accessed 1/21/2020.],[ANCHOR=Frost & Sullivan. Patient Safety in Healthcare Forecast to 2022. Frost & Sullivan Online Store. https://store.frost.com/patientsafety-inhealthcare-forecast-to-2022.html. Published Jan. 9, 2018. Accessed 1/21/2020.],[LINK=]) Unlike spot checking once every two to four hours, continuous monitoring with Microstream™ capnography and Nellcor™ pulse oximetry via the Vital Sync™ remote patient monitoring platform may help clinicians improve patient safety. And remote continuous monitoring with Early Warning Scores can help clinicians detect trouble in patients earlier in fact, about 6.6 hours before code in 60 percent of cases.([FOOTNOTE=Maupin JM, Roth DJ, Krapes JM. Use of the modified early warning score decreases code blue events. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2009;35(12):598–603.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=]),([FOOTNOTE=APSF. Monitoring for opioid-induced ventilatory impairment (OIVI) video. APSF Website. https://youtu.be/j4brtlBmGzc Accessed May 28 2021.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=])

6X More Sensitive

Continuous capnography monitoring is  six times more sensitive than pulse oximetry monitoring in helping you recognize postoperative respiratory depression,([FOOTNOTE=Lam T, Nagappa M, Wong J, Singh M, Wong D, Chung F. Continuous Pulse Oximetry and Capnography Monitoring for Postoperative Respiratory Depression and Adverse Events: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2017;125(6):2019-2029.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=]) and can detect it at twice the rate.([FOOTNOTE=Hutchison R, Rodriguez L. Capnography and respiratory depression. Am J Nurs. 2008;108(2):35–39.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=])

Reduced ICU Admissions

Continuous SpO2 monitoring is associated with reduced postoperative ICU admissions for pulmonary complications.([FOOTNOTE=Ochroch EA, Russell MW, Hanson WC 3rd, et al. The impact of continuous pulse oximetry monitoring on intensive care unit admissions from a postsurgical care floor. Anesth Analg. 2006;102(3):868–875.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=])

6 Hours

Early warning scores help clinicians recognize deterioration ~6.6 hours before code in 60 percent of cases.6

$19,940 per bed per year and 200,000 lives

Use of contact-free continuous monitoring (CFCM) could save hospitals $19,940 per bed per year and help save 200,000 lives each year.([FOOTNOTE=AAMI. Continuous electronic monitoring could save billions of dollars, thousands of lives, reports say. Published Aug. 18 2016. Accessed July 29 2019.],[ANCHOR=],[LINK=])

Our Technologies with Remote Continuous Monitoring Make a Great Team

A winning combination of monitoring technologies to help you monitor the respiratory monitor status of your patients. We’re here for you as partners in patient safety. Our upgraded, simplified solution helps you catch respiratory compromise early that spot check often misses. Find out how our technologies work together to improve patient safety and how using contact-free continuous monitoring (CFCM) could save your hospital $19,940 per bed per year and help save 200,000 lives each year.10

An added layer of care

Monitoring systems can help facilitate timely interventions for high-risk patients. They can provide an added layer of care by continually observing hospitalized patients and drawing attention to those who show signs of deterioration.2

RespArray™ patient monitor

Designed to help clinicians detect respiratory early in medical-surgical units where spot checking is not enough.

It’s important to get a complete picture of your patient’s respiratory status. This ensures you have the confidence your patient is safely sedated and receiving effective pain management, especially knowing that spot checking might be inaccurate. Continuous monitoring of pulse oximetry and capnography could improve safety and reduce workload on clinicians.

The RespArray™ patient monitor includes SpO2 (Nellcor™ pulse oximetry) and EtCO2 (Microstream™ capnography) proprietary algorithms, plus other parameters. It features simple connectivity, seamlessly integrates into workflow and connect to your EMR, so you’ll have more time to focus on your patients.

View products

NELLCOR™ PULSE OXIMETRY

Enhances the intuition of every caregiver. It offers you the insight to complement your instinct.

The pulse is the foundation of pulse oximetry.  And Nellcor™ pulse oximetry was at the forefront of developing this technology 40 years ago.  While other technologies have been developed, none can replicate our proprietary algorithm that ties our readings to the source — the pulse of your patients. That’s what makes our technology unique — and consistently accurate.

Nellcor™ technology allows you to continuously monitor a patient's oxygenation status — one of the key parameters to help you keep your patients safe.

View Products

MICROSTREAM™ CAPNOGRAPHY

Designed for early alerts, accurate measurements and ease-of-use. It measures end-tidal CO2, respiration rate, and apneas to help you keep your patients receiving opioids safe.

The Capnostream™ 35 portable respiratory and Capnostream™ 20p bedside monitors are designed for continuous monitoring of etCO2, SpO2, respiration rate and pulse rate. You can simply connect both Microstream™ Advance filter lines and Nellcor™ pulse oximetry sensors to these two monitors.

View Products

VITAL SYNC™ REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING

Provides a simple user interface and implementation so you can be with your patients anytime, even when you are not by their bedside.

The Vital Sync™ remote respiratory monitoring system can be quickly implemented in your facility to remotely connect you to patients' SpO2, etCO2, respiratory rate and pulse rate. Now, you can get data delivered to you in one place and remotely.

View Products

A Simplified Solution

Learn about our simplified remote continuous monitoring solution to help keep patients — and clinicians — safe.

View Info Sheet

Detect Trouble Earlier

Learn how respiratory monitoring can help detect trouble earlier and how continuous monitoring improves detection.

View Infographic
PRODIGY Study

Identifying at-risk patients

Patients receiving opioids on the medical-surgical floor are at risk for OIRD, which is preventable with better monitoring.

Limited resources may make it challenging to monitor all patients on opioids. The recommended approach is to focus on your highest-risk patients on opioids, but until recently, there have not been studies providing a validated, predictive patient risk stratification tool. The PRODIGY study bridges this gap.2

Clinician Challenges

Let's partner to help address some of the workflow challenges in the Med-Surg unit

We help provide comprehensive and consultative solutions to help address clinician challenges on the medical surgical floor. Learn how to improve workflows, avoid disruptions, decrease response times, reduce stress, and improve patient care.

Learn How to Overcome Challenges

Education & Training

Your partner in education

Access free CE-credited and non-accredited education and training opportunities to learn more about how remote continuous monitoring may improve patient safety.

View Education & Training

Other Related Resources

Alarm Analysis Program

A service to help you address nuisance alarms and fatigue by focusing on actionable alarms and simplifying your workflow.

Connectivity and Integrated Solutions

Automated integration and data flows to EMR systems. Services to help hospitals improve patient and hospital outcomes through a methodology to implement continuous monitoring solutions.

Training and In-Servicing

Complimentary clinical education and product in-servicing to set hospitals up for success in remotely and continuously monitoring patients.

Respiratory Compromise

Respiratory compromise — incidents of respiratory insufficiency, failure, and arrest — is a real threat to patients and health systems.1

  • The Microstream™ capnography, Nellcor™ pulse oximetry, and Vital Sync™ remote patient monitoring systems should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis or therapy and are intended only as an adjunct in patient assessment.

Corporate Resources
Medical Surgical Portfolio
Patient Resources
Additional Resources
Contact Us
Operational Headquarters

710 Medtronic Parkway

Minneapolis, MN

55432-5604

USA

©2023 Medtronic