What is Sens4Care?

Sense4Care is an innovative, ground-breaking Surveillance & Infection Control Systems targeting MRDOs. S4C will be an active medical device, designed as a modular solution

The solution

How it works

VOC sensors

A novel sensors network able to detect Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) of the target microorganisms without the use of any intrusive or invasive sampling. The VOC sensors screening devices will be based on Raman technology and a detailed study of the particle matter (PM) in the air sample via machine learning algorithms which will be able to detect both Clostridium difficile spores and/or microorganism; Klebsiella pneumoniae and MRSA.

The VOC sensors have also the potential to detect antibiotic resistances in Clostridium difficile (Toxins A and B, and Binary toxin (transferase)), Klebsiella pneumoniae (carbapenem & ESBL production), and additional Gram-negative pathogens and resistances (even if in an initial stage we might require to combine our VOC sensor with a Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) system, to increase the performance of our test against these specific targets.

The ICT platform

A modular ICT (client and server) platform for managing the related alerts system (allowing the geo-localization, the time-stamping, and the characterisation of each alert) and supporting the health practitioners in the management of the sensors-enhanced screening protocols.

The ICT platform will include a set of dashboards, data entry and advanced analytic functions, which will effectively support the process of care. We will include specific modules for:

  1. Managing the (active and passive) surveillance process (e.g. evaluating the risk of infection; improving hands hygiene (either for staff, patients and/or visitors); observe contact precautions (personal protective equipment); antimicrobial/antibiotic stewardship;
  2. Tracking the use of antibiotics;
  3. Managing the resolution of the positive screening results (alert coding; isolation; cohort staff; active screening cultures; environmental cleaning/decontamination);
  4. Training and providing both education and motivation to the workforce to engage in measures and strategies for MRDOs control.

The features will be highly user-friendly as they will be co-designed with clinicians using an iterative process during Phase 1 and 2. The platform will be customized according to the clinical profile and role of the users within the hospital.

The interoperability

A (local) server-based interoperability module allowing S4C to store data in an easy-to-use format and integrate with the patient Electronic Health Record including the patient history (previous infections, hospitalizations, etc.); the Laboratory Information System; existing electronic hygiene control systems and other indication-relation control systems sending the screening outcomes and alerts on detections

The solution

The details

Discretion

Our VOC sensors are not invasive and can be placed using different strategies. The can be located:

  1. bedside or in the toilets of the patient room;
  2. fixed in the room air system;
  3. mounted on the caring carts which are moving around the hospital (to widen the range of detection and monitor common and crowded areas);
  4. carried by the HCW around the hospitals (in its portable version);
  5. (especially in the most critical areas of the hospital, e.g. Intensive Care Units and Surgical Rooms) they can be clipped to a rail fixed on the ceiling, which moves automatically to increase the range of detections of the sensor.

Integration

The sensors network (developed by Sens Solution) and the ICT platform (developed by Tech4Care) will be complementary and strictly interrelated. The sensors network will feed data to the ICT platform to a) autonomously activate a real-time information pathway, b) integrate the detection in the clinical history of the patient around where detection occurred and c) create an alarm with the relevant information

Accuracy

The VOC sensors have also the potential to detect antibiotic resistances in Clostridium difficile (Toxins A and B, and Binary toxin (transferase)), Klebsiella pneumoniae (carbapenem & ESBL production), and additional Gram-negative pathogens and resistances