Advances in Patient Monitoring Systems for Prehospital and Resource-Limited Settings

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Health Informatics
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Vital sign monitoring is crucial for critically ill patients.
• Advanced patient monitoring systems offer real-time data and predictive insights.
• These technologies are especially valuable in prehospital and resource-limited environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review patient monitoring technologies for prehospital and resource-limited settings.
• To assess the capabilities, performance, and clinical impact of these novel systems.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies published 2018-2022.
• Searches conducted on PubMed and Scopus, adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• 40 studies were included after screening 217 identified articles.

Main Results:

• Wearable and contactless systems show high accuracy but have delayed response and less reliable temperature readings.
• AI-based platforms outperform standard scoring systems in predicting patient outcomes (mortality, ICU admission).
• Integrated systems with biosensors, AI, GPS, and wireless communication show potential for prehospital triage with positive user feedback but lack cost analyses.

Conclusions:

• Emerging technologies can improve remote triage and care, especially in resource-limited settings.
• Barriers include cost, insufficient real-world testing, and limited high-tier evidence.
• Future research should focus on field testing, usability, and cost-effectiveness for clinical adoption.