HA enhances A&E patient monitoring
The Hospital Authority today announced that it has adopted a series of measures to enhance the monitoring of patients in accident and emergency (A&E) departments with immediate effect, including enhancing manpower and introducing more technological systems.
The measures include reminding A&E staff to enhance patrols in patient waiting halls.
After treatment, the A&E will try to arrange for higher risk patients to be moved to an area near healthcare workers.
Hospital staff will also increase the frequency of patrols of A&E toilets to once per hour, including the accessible toilet.
Besides enhancing manpower, the authority is now introducing a new technological system. Sensor systems have been installed in accessible toilets in some A&Es on a trial basis. If a patient falls down or remains still for a period of time in the toilet, the system will alert hospital staff.
The authority also plans to introduce patient tracking systems on a trial basis in some A&Es starting in the third quarter.
Patients with consent will be given a tracking device after registration. The system can track a patient's location in an A&E. If there is any abnormality, healthcare workers can locate the patient and provide assistance immediately.
All A&E departments in newly completed hospitals will be equipped with related systems in the future, and the system will be extended to more A&Es in stages to strengthen patient safety.
The authority also pointed out that public hospitals have been relatively busy recently, adding that A&E departments will prioritise treatment for critically ill patients. It reminded patients that if their condition changes while they are waiting, they should seek assistance from healthcare workers immediately.