The LifeSync® System is the first wireless electrocardiogram (ECG) data communications system appropriate for use in high acuity settings. It is comprised of our disposable LeadWear® Disposable, which replaces traditional lead wires, and electronic equipment, which enables the wireless transmission of ECG and respiration data from the patient to virtually any monitor. The system provides the patient with increased comfort and freedom to move by eliminating the lead wires that traditionally tether patients to monitors. LifeSync Corporation received both FCC and FDA approvals to market the LifeSync® System in the U.S. in 2003 and began selling the LifeSync® System in the U.S. in March 2004.
Benefits of the LifeSync® System:
Makes existing patient monitors wireless
The LifeSync® System works in conjunction with virtually all patient monitors to create a wireless Personal Area Network between the patient and the monitor.
Increases accuracy of clinical alarms
Alarms in patient monitors alert care givers of potential cardiac issues or abnormalities that may be present in a patient’s ECG. Lead wires are traditionally connected to the patient and to the monitor, and carry the signal directly from the patient to the monitor. The wires have a tendency to rub together whenever patient’s move. This creates “noise”, which will likely be interpreted by the monitor as a true cardiac event and an alarm will sound alerting the care giver to respond to the patient’s room. The healthcare environment is a symphony of alarms that continually vie for the attention of care givers. Clearly, the more accurate the alarms are over time, the more urgent the response will be by the caregiver to each alarm. This is just human nature. A recent study found that the accuracy of alarms when using traditional lead wires was only 46%. This means that 54 times out of 100 when the nurse was called into the patient’s room, there was no reason for them to be there. When LeadWear® Disposable was applied to the same patients, alarm accuracy improved to 92%.
A study conducted by the Lewin Group to assess the burden of lead wire management on health care providers concluded that nurses spend 40 minutes per day, per patient, dealing with lead wires. This included responding to false alarms, untangling lead wires, and attaching and detaching lead wires to patients. When asked what other duties they would perform with potential time savings offered by a wireless system, nurses indicated they would provide more patient care, complete chart work, spend more time tracking administered medications, perform more patient education, and spend more time talking to families. This improvement in nurse productivity results in increased attention to the patient.
Decreases infection risk from reusable ECG wires
Hospital acquired infections are receiving increased attention in today’s healthcare climate. Preventing hospital acquired infections is a complex problem, and as such, calls for a comprehensive solution. LeadWear® Disposable, due to its disposable nature, is an essential piece of that comprehensive solution. Consider the following information: In a clinical study conducted at the University of Wisconsin, 77% of ECG lead wires that were cleaned by standard hospital methods were found to be contaminated with one or more antibiotic-resistant pathogens. 67% were contaminated with MRSA (methicillin- resistant staph aureus). These pathogens enter the blood stream through open wounds or portals created by other invasive lines. In fact, an outbreak of VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci) in a burn unit in Texas was traced back to one contaminated ECG lead wire. In addition, epidemiologists in a Wisconsin hospital attributed an outbreak of Serratia marcescens infection to insufficiently decontaminated ECG leads. Patients being monitored with reusable lead wires are at risk of being exposed to highly resistant pathogens. LeadWear® Disposable, given that it is single patient use, reduces the risk of transmission of dangerous pathogens from one patient to another. Make sure to ask your hospital about using LeadWear® Disposable to monitor you.
With a wireless system, nurses can get patients up and moving without worrying about patients tripping over lead wires. It is generally accepted that earlier ambulation results in more rapid healing and shorter hospital stays, thereby reducing hospital costs.
Faster Patient Transport
The LifeSync® System allows for patients to be transported without disconnecting them from the bedside monitor and reconnecting them to a transport monitor. This improves the overall efficiency of patient transport and aids in patient flow from one unit to another.
Assures consistency of 12 lead placement (Diagnostic/Continuous)
The LeadWear® Disposable guarantees constant placement of the ECG electrodes. This guarantees consistent quality 12 lead ECG for accurate comparison and diagnosis.
Radiolucent
LeadWear® Disposable is radiolucent. This ensures unobstructed chest x-ray images allowing clinicians a clear picture for diagnosis. In addition, since the need for repeat x-rays are minimized, the patient exposure to radiation is also minimized.
