Grant: Alliance Grants

The proposed Timely and Extended Monitoring in Emergencies and Disasters (Tx MED) project addresses critical issues stemming from Emergency Department (ED) overcrowding in Canada, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Overcrowding has led to extended patient stays and delays in emergency care due to factors such as increased patient volumes, healthcare professional burnout, and insufficient acute care capacity. This situation has escalated the annual ED visits from 14 million to over 15 million within a year, with a significant portion of patients facing long wait times or leaving without being seen. Tx MED aims to enhance clinical and flow management by deploying physiologic and location sensors on patients for continuous monitoring from the waiting room to discharge or admission. This system will utilize data visualization, data analytics, and AI algorithms to analyze patient flow and vital signs, thus enabling earlier intervention for sicker patients and improving overall safety and efficiency. The approach also includes real-time data tracking and rapid analytics to manage patient volumes and severity simultaneously. Through these innovations, Tx MED aspires to mitigate ED congestion and elevate the standard of emergency care.