New Sheba Medical Center Study Validates Use of Wearable Telehealth Technology for Remote Patient Monitoring

RAMAT GAN, Israel – July 5, 2022 – Sheba Medical Center, Israel’s largest medical center and a  Newsweek top-10 ranked world’s best hospital for the last four years, announced today the results of a new study validating the use of wearable telehealth technology for monitoring  hospitalized patients. The study, published in the peer-reviewed JMIR Formative Research Journal, examined the effectiveness of a wearable Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) device  which monitored for early warning signs of clinical deterioration.  

Using data collected from the wearable RPM, the study found the remote device, when  measured using the NEWS method (National Early Warning Score), provided 67% of cases with  an early warning of deterioration before it was detected by medical staff, at an average of 29  hours prior to actual clinical detection. That number rose to 75% when using the ABCNO criteria  (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Neurology, and Other), with deterioration detected an average  of 38 hours ahead of time. 

“With the rapid development of innovative telehealth technologies, it is important to consider  the clinical barrier of validation which is vital for turning telehealth into evidence-based  medicine,” said Prof. Gad Segal, Head of Internal Telemedicine at Sheba Medical Center and  principal investigator of the study. “This study shows that disruptive telehealth can provide  viable alternatives to clinical deterioration detection by medical staff. The output signals from  remote monitoring can be equivalent to medical-grade ICU monitoring and that opens up the  horizon for home hospitalization of true patients, aligning with Sheba Beyond’s vision of  supporting the global transition to telemedicine.” 

The wearable RPM provides continuous monitoring of blood pressure, pulse rate, oxygenation and photoplethysmography (PPG) signal wave, all easily accessed via an LED screen and mobile  app. Biobeat®, which supplied the device, is an Israeli company founded in 2016 with the goal of providing comprehensive AI-powered wearable remote patient monitoring platforms designed  to elevate the standard of care for both short and long-term healthcare environments.  

With the outbreak of COVID-19 in Israel in March 2020, Sheba Medical Center swiftly converted  several departments to fully quarantined units for COVID-19 patients, necessitating rapid  adaptation of telehealth technologies including the Biobeat®remote health monitoring system.  

In addition to its work in Israel, Sheba Beyond, Sheba’s virtual hospital, provides high-quality  remote medical care to patients around the world. It is currently using its platform to treat  Ukrainian refugees, connecting them to doctors in Sheba through a variety of femtech and other  telehealth technologies.