Hines VA introduces new monitoring system for hospice and nursing home Veterans

HINES , IL — Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital has begun integrating a new patient monitoring system to improve Veteran health and assist medical staff.

The AvaSure® Continuous Video Monitoring System places portable cameras in patients’ rooms who may need closer monitoring. Staff can observe up to 15 patients simultaneously through a virtual interface to monitor for issues such as a patient out of bed or patient-caused medical device interference.

“It’s the hospital room of the future, today,” said James Doelling, Hines VA hospital director. “Military Veterans have unique medical needs that often require continuous monitoring. With this innovation, we continue to provide the latest medical technology and improve our patients’ overall health.” 

The monitoring system will be used in Hines VA’s Community Living Center (CLC), which includes short- and long-term nursing home care and hospice. 

The monitoring system is used in more than 1,100 hospitals, and AvaSure® reports an over 50 percent reduction in adverse effects, such as falls and self-harm. 

“This is a proven, easy-to-implement safety solution for our staff and veterans,” said Binu Polakkattil, CLC’s chief nurse. “We know that in addition to a nurse and nursing assistant, we have someone else monitoring the patient, which greatly improves their health outcome.”

View the press release on Hospice & Palliative Care Today

See the full press release here.

About Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital
Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, located 12 miles west of downtown Chicago on a 147-acre campus, offers primary, extended and specialty care to Veteran patients in the Chicago area. We are the largest VA in the state of Illinois, where more than a million Veterans reside. The hospital treats more than 50,000 Veterans from World War II through the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Media contacts

Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital Public Affairs Office
708-202-5627
HinesPublicAffairs@va.gov