Thailand unveils online camera to boost virtual monitoring of patients
Thailand’s Health Service Support Department has launched a camera to remotely monitor the healthcare of elderly and bedridden patients.
The device, called CareCamera is designed to monitor the vital signs of these patients who otherwise cannot be in health facilities at particular times.
It is a camera embedded with devices for monitoring electrocardiogram (ECG), blood, oxygen level and body temperature.
Microcontrollers within the camera transmit vital data including abnormalities that are forwarded via SMS to alert clinics, hospitals and on-duty doctors for immediate attention.
These medical personnel can then remotely open the camera’s cover to communicate with the patient based on the information they have.
Dr Kornkrit Limsommut, the department’s deputy director-general, said the cameras are covered until there is a need to communicate with the patient after an alert is received. This is to protect the patient’s privacy.
Developed by the medical engineering division of the department, Konkrit said the CareCamera was patented on March, 2022 and prototypes have since been made for testing.
He further noted that the technology is likely to be transferred to the private sector. He hopes that it can be mass-produced for future purposes.
