How Smart Patient Wristbands Are Improving Patient Safety

How Smart Patient Wristbands Are Improving
Patient Safety
New smart patient wristbands were developed by researchers at Rutgers University. The bands are
equipped with a biosensor which counts the particles in the user’s blood. It then transmits that data
through Bluetooth to a smartphone within close proximity.
Smart Patient Wristbands
The wristbands are made from plastic and include a flexible circuit board containing the biosensor
mentioned above, which is made with a pipe thinner than human hair. The pipe is embedded with gold
electrodes and contains the following:
A circuit which can process electric signals
Digitizing data microcontroller
Bluetooth-enabled module which can wirelessly transmit data to mobile devices
How Does It Work?
A blood sample is taken from the patient through a pinprick. This blood is then fed through the thin
pipe, so it can count the blood cells. Using the Bluetooth module and a smartphone application, this
data is then wirelessly processed and transmitted. It appears on the application so that physicians and
other medical staff can immediately see the results.
Potential Applications
These new smart patient wristbands have the potential for numerous applications in the healthcare
industry. In addition to increasing overall patient safety, the bands could provide rapid blood test results
without the need for special lab equipment – or extensive wait times.
Blood counts can be used to diagnose multiple illnesses. If a patient presents with low red blood cell
counts it could indicate they have anemia or internal bleeding. If results show a high white blood cell
count it could indicate that an infection is present somewhere in the body.
Other results could show if a patient is low in a vital mineral or nutrient, like iron or B12. Blood tests are
even used to diagnose autoimmune disorders.
The wristbands would also be able to measure the same parameters as current wearables. This includes
heart rate, physical activity, and blood pressure. A band able to combine these basic vitals with blood
cell counts could revolutionize the health industry and take personal health monitoring to a new level.
The Only Issue
While these wristbands sound like miracle devices they do have one issue concerning healthcare
professionals – the possibility of compromising patient privacy. The question exists whether the
freeness of how this data is shared could violate HIPAA policies, because they are not designed to
protect personal health data in the same way traditional medical devices and technology are.

Built-in security measures, were they to be included in the devices, can be bypassed easily. This has
been shown with devices like the FitBit. With a moderate amount of technological knowledge and a
little motivation, the information contained on these devices can be hacked.
When that information is leaked, not only are current HIPAA policies breached but so is the risk of
patient safety. The ways people can abuse personal health information are far-reaching, and this
seemingly harmless data can even assist in professional credit fraud or identity theft.
If this issue were to be fixed, however, these devices would be the answer to easier monitoring
medical professionals have been seeking.