A 10-year retrospective study looking at the use of continuous monitoring by Masimo SET and Patient SafetyNet technologies for patients prescribed opioids found zero fatalities and no injuries from opioid-induced respiratory depression while continuous monitoring was in use, according to Masimo.

The hospital’s surveillance monitoring system provided continuous monitoring using Masimo SET Measure-through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, and was comprised of Masimo Radical-7 and Rad-87 pulse CO-oximeters, Root Patient Monitoring and Connectivity Hubs, and Masimo Patient SafetyNet. Devices provided supplemental remote monitoring at central view stations and alarm and alarm escalation notifications to clinicians’ pagers.

Monitored parameters included oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate (PR). The researchers reviewed ten years of data collected from 2007 to 2017, over which time there were 126,697 general care unit discharges.

Dr. Sue McGrath and colleagues at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center found that, over the 10 years, of the 111,488 patients in units with surveillance monitoring available, “none died or were harmed by opioid-induced respiratory depression when surveillance monitoring was in use.” Of the 15,209 patients in unmonitored units, three patients died from opioid overdose. The reduced death rate when surveillance was available, compared to when it was not available, was statistically “significant” (p=0.03), according to Masimo.

A fourth patient died in a unit where surveillance monitoring was available but Masimo technology was not being used at the time of the adverse event, the company said.

The researchers noted, “The fact that one patient with known risk for opioid sensitivity died while in a unit where monitoring was available but not in use highlights the importance of system adoption and adherence to standards of care.”

The researchers concluded, “For a 10-year period, the rescue system with continuous surveillance monitoring had a profound effect on death from sedative/analgesic administration in the general care setting. This approach to patient safety can help address the risk of sedative/analgesic-related respiratory arrests in hospitals.”

Joe Kiani, Founder and CEO of Masimo, commented: “We are incredibly grateful to Dr. McGrath, her colleagues, and everyone at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center for demonstrating the value of continuous monitoring of post-surgical patients over a ten-year period. Hundreds of other hospitals have adopted our technology and have reported similar results. We hope that this new study will inspire every other institution to implement Masimo SET on their general floor to eliminate preventable deaths due to opioid overdose, especially at this time when illnesses that impact the respiratory system, such as COVID-19, are so prevalent.”

Regarding the cost of deploying such a system, the researchers noted, “Although cost is often raised as a barrier to implementation, a previously performed financial analysis demonstrated cost-effectiveness of surveillance monitoring due primarily to intensive care unit patient days avoided when early detection of patient deterioration occurs.”

References

  1. McGrath S, McGovern K, Perreard I, Huang V, Moss L, Blike G. Inpatient Respiratory Arrest Associated with Sedative and Analgesic Medications: Impact of Continuous Monitoring on Patient Mortality and Severe Morbidity. J Patient Saf. 14 March 2020. DOI: 10.1097/PTS.0000000000000696.
  2. Taenzer AH et al. Impact of pulse oximetry surveillance on rescue events and intensive care unit transfers: a before-and-after concurrence study. Anesthesiology. 2010:112(2):282-287.
  3. Taenzer A et al. Postoperative Monitoring – The Dartmouth Experience. Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation Newsletter. Spring-Summer 2012.
  4. McGrath SP et al. Surveillance Monitoring Management for General Care Units: Strategy, Design, and Implementation. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. 2016 Jul;42(7):293-302.
  5. Published clinical studies on pulse oximetry and the benefits of Masimo SET® can be found on at https://www.masimo.com. Comparative studies include independent and objective studies which are comprised of abstracts presented at scientific meetings and peer-reviewed journal articles.
  6. Castillo A et al. Prevention of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Preterm Infants through Changes in Clinical Practice and SpO2 Technology. Acta Paediatr. 2011 Feb;100(2):188-92.
  7. de-Wahl Granelli A et al. Impact of pulse oximetry screening on the detection of duct dependent congenital heart disease: a Swedish prospective screening study in 39,821 newborns. BMJ. 2009;Jan 8;338.
  8. Estimate: Masimo data on file.
  9. http://health.usnews.com/health-care/best-hospitals/articles/best-hospitals-honor-roll-and-overview.