Feasibility of Bluetooth Low Energy wearable tags to quantify healthcare worker proximity networks and patient close contact: A pilot study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The hospital environment is characterised by a dense network of interactions between healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients. As highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic, this represents a risk for disease transmission and a challenge for contact tracing. We aimed to develop and pilot an automated system to address this challenge and describe contacts between HCWs and patients.

Methods

We developed a bespoke Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) system for the hospital environment with anonymous tags worn by HCWs and fixed receivers at patient room doors. Proximity between wearable tags inferred contact between HCWs. Tag-receiver interactions inferred patient room entry and exit by HCWs. We performed a pilot study in four negative pressure isolation rooms from 13 April to 18 A

SUBMITTER: Curtis SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8963530 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature