About this good practice
The solution offered by SCN4ALL is based on an evaluation algorithm that analyses the physiological functions of the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems, and has a wide range of applications in medicine: monitoring the condition of patients with hypertension, heart failure or arrhytmias, diabetes or lung disease, or monitoring the effectiveness of therapies.
The company, E-Med4All Europe Ltd., has developed a pulse oximeter-based heart rate variability and pulse wave analysis telemedicine system that can monitor more than 30 physiological parameters to track the health of asymptomatic people, monitor those in quarantine and analyse the data for early detection of possible disease onset. Potential patients can be monitored using a simple and easily disinfectable device, a smart pulse oximeter, and the measured data is sent to a processing unit in the cloud via smartphone or tablet by a dedicated app.
Each measurement takes 2 minutes and can be performed by the user independently several times a day, without the need to burden healthcare staff. The measurement data can be monitored remotely, even via the internet, by the professional in charge of the elderly person's medical supervision.
Although most of the cardiovascular monitoring parameters offered by the SCN4ALL system were already known to science, their practical application, especially for the general population, was not yet solved. (Research is ongoing to prove further clinical utilities of SCN4ALL.)
Resources needed
ca. 1.300.000 (1,3M) EUR
Evidence of success
1. GP owner’s pulsewave database contains ~100.000 registrations
2. 2020 pilot project http://medicalonline.hu/gyogyitas/cikk/covid_19_beteg_arterias_funkcioi…, https://24.hu/belfold/2020/12/14/pulzoximeter-haziorvos-megfigyeles-kar…
3. https://futureu.europa.eu/processes/Health/f/4/meetings/128273?locale=en
4. peer-review: https://doi.org/10.3390/app10227977
5. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21165544
Potential for learning or transfer
It is also capable of measuring so-called pulse wave parameters, which is a technological upgrade:
• Stiffness index of large vessels
• Small vessel tone
• Cardiac ejection time related parameters
• Arterial ageing related parameters
• Left ventricular ejection dynamics related parameters
• Aortic distensibility related parameters
• Heart rate variability parameters
• Arrhythmic pulse related parameters
Further to the non-conventional parameters that the device can measure, it:
• is easy to use;
• does not cause pain;
• operates with the shortest possible measurement time;
• has increased functionality and information from one measurement;
• provides continuous monitoring;
• tracks trends of change in the body;
• has the potential to help to prevent serious cases* (e.g. heart attack, stroke and other major CVDs) by being suitable for functioning as an early warning mechanism – *under validation
• CAN BE FURTHER DEVELOPED, adding more measurement parameters.