Grant: Collaborative Health Research Projects (NSERC partnered)

Respiratory disease is a major health problem in Canada. Over 3 million Canadians have to cope with serious respiratory conditions. Effective diagnosis and monitoring requires ready access to clinical expertise and technologies that can assess lung function accurately. The capability of pulse oximeters to non-invasively measure oxygen saturation in the blood (SpO2) through a sensor placed on the fingertip has already greatly improved patient safety in hospitals (a reduction in SpO2 strongly predicts abnormal lung function). The extension of this medical device into homes will greatly improve the management of respiratory disease in non-hospital settings. Our goal is to develop the "Phone Oximeter", an intelligent, mobile device for the diagnosis and management of respiratory disease in the community. Current portable pulse oximeters are limited in use because of their cost, cumbersome nature and inability to communicate with clinicians in real-time. Our innovative tool will overcome these limitations by integrating a pulse oximeter with a cell phone. In addition, it will improve the accuracy of a standard pulse oximeter; the inherent processing power of a cell phone will be used to extract additional information about other key signs of respiratory disease from the pulse oximeter's raw data, such as respiratory rate and heart rate variability. Via an easy-to-use, intuitive display, the Phone Oximeter will convert this information into real-time clinical advice that is accessible even to patients. When connected to a network, the Phone Oximeter will readily transmit critical information to and from central support and referral locations. This research will support the full time training of two types of student (engineering graduate and summer students), as well as clinical research fellows, residents and medical students. This healthcare service will be available to all Canadians, regardless of where they live. Prompt, appropriate action for disease management will reverse clinical deterioration. Early intervention will reduce unnecessary procedures, improve health, save lives and reduce long term costs by minimizing resource wastage.