Design of a biomedical kit for bedridden patients: a conceptual approach

Abstract

Considering an Ambient Assisted Living context, it is proposed to design a system/equipment that allows the support of bedridden patients who require continuous or palliative medical care through a Medical Care Module (MCM) operated by a single person. The system should allow the autonomy, comfort, and safety of bedridden patients, in the scope of home care. During the development of the MCM, different biomedical and environmental sensors are considered, allowing the collection of different measurement data regarding quality of life-related parameters. The graphical interface between the user and the biomedical sensor kit will establish the order and priority of the different tasks of collecting the readings, indicating how and when should they be performed, according to: previous diagnosis, most recent data from previous readings and the remote indications from medical assistance personnel. The collected data will be stored in the patient's online monitoring profile database, which will have different levels of remote web access regarding the quality of the stored information, allowing its management, analysis, and screening by specialized medical personnel and relatives/caregivers. It is envisaged that the system will enable the primary caregiver to request assistance from a real-time specialist with sound and image to obtain information about the patient's condition and receive advice on the procedures to be followed. One of the inherent aspects of the project is the pursuit of greater integration of intangible solutions, leveraging current wireless and miniaturization technologies.