UK equips nurses with smart goggles so they can see more patients

London: As the struggling UK National Health Service turns to digital gadgets to improve services, nurses in some parts of England visit patients’ homes to try out smart goggles. .

As long as individual patients agree, virtual reality headsets can help nurses transcribe medical records, automate administrative tasks, and share live footage for consultation with hospital colleagues.

The goggles are also equipped with thermal imaging technology to inspect for scratches and injuries. The trials will take place in North Lincolnshire and Goole, England, he said in a statement on Saturday, the NHS said.

Developed by a company founded by general practitioners, the goggles are part of a £6m ($7.1m) initiative to improve care for ambulances and community services when the demands of the Covid pandemic are burning out medical staff. Part. Struggling to meet the growing demand for care.

Earlier this year, the NHS also distributed smart watches to Parkinson’s patients, allowing doctors to remotely access their status.

Community nurses are estimated to spend more than half their day filling out forms and manually entering patient data. The purpose of this trial is to see if goggles help patients spend more time on clinical tasks, such as checking blood pressure and tending wounds.

Years of underfunding and a constant wave of COVID-19 outbreaks have left the NHS very cramped. UK nurses will soon be voted out in a vote to strike over wages amid a surging cost of living crisis.

bloomberg

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