Reliability of Contactless Vital Sign Monitoring Posttriage in Emergency Department Walk-In Patients: A Single-Site,...

To evaluate camera-based, advanced sensor technology for contactless vital sign monitoring (versus standard monitoring) posttriage in adult emergency department patients.

A single-site, prospective, observational study was conducted at Townsville University Hospital Emergency Department between May 2025 and August 2025. Adult (≥ 18 years) walk-in patients were eligible. A convenience sample of consenting participants was recruited. Two sets of vital signs-blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, temperature-were obtained. The first set was measured immediately after triage using a dual-camera system comprising a thermographic camera and a second camera with proprietary software. The second set was obtained immediately posttriage using standard monitoring equipment. Reliability and acceptability were the primary and secondary outcomes respectively. Reliability (accuracy and precision) was determined through a Bland-Altman analysis to assess agreement between the two sets of vital signs. Acceptability of technology was assessed using a participant questionnaire.

A total of 300 patients were recruited, of whom 288 had complete data on paired vital signs and were included in the Bland-Altman analysis. Minimal bias was observed across most vital signs, indicating limited systematic error. Respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and temperature showed the closest agreement, whereas systolic blood pressure and heart rate exhibited the widest limits of agreement. Acceptability was high, with most participants reporting comfort, ease of use and overall satisfaction.

Compared with standard vital sign monitoring, camera-based technology demonstrated good accuracy but variable precision across vital signs. Further algorithm refinement is required before reliable clinical integration.