A project team from the Singapore General Hospital’s (SGH) Nursing Division worked with a business that makes personal protective equipment (PPE) specifically for hospital use. The hands-free option makes use of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to automatically guide and verify compliance with SGH’s strict PPE protocol.
According to Ang Shin Yuh, Deputy Director, Nursing Division, SGH, PPE is the first line of defense against infectious diseases, but it is only effective when worn properly. Before entering the Halls, nurses who were assigned to the Community Care Facility at the Singapore Expo in 2020 to care for migrant workers who tested positive for COVID-19 had to double-check each other’s PPE.
In order to assure compliance on the ground, we also had to perform a manual audit each and every day. It required a lot of labor and was not sustainable. This realization prompted us to consider automating the procedure using AI and picture recognition, according to Deputy Director Shin Yuh, who also proposed the idea in the beginning.
The Singaporean government owns the entirety of the not-for-profit SGH. The public healthcare system’s flagship hospital is the one that has recognized issues and is making an effort to fix them. As a result, before anyone enters an isolation facility, SGH tries to make sure that all employees and guests are appropriately wearing their PPE. On the other hand, the nursing project team had to first make the solution better to recognize Asian characteristics and skin tones before customizing it to the Hospital’s demands, including the kinds of PPE utilized.
The hospital was the perfect business partner for deploying the state-of-the-art PPE to teach and supervise staff members on infection control and prevention practices. Hospitals save lives, and SGH is one of the facilities that use cutting-edge procedures and enhances nursing standards. Now that it has been improved, this technology is prepared to help additional medical teams in Singapore and the surrounding countries.
The team personally validated each of the three modes of the customized solution, PPE Buddy, Train and Practice, and Visitor, with about 200 staff members and guests. When deployed, the solution turns a tablet into a digital mirror that can be quickly moved into any situation and set on a tripod, or it may be placed on any flat surface, such as a wall, where PPE supplies are readily available. The system operates hands-free to study doctors and make sure that their PPE is correctly worn while utilizing cutting-edge imaging technology. As a result, there is better infection management and less danger for both personnel and patients.
The hospital’s new and old infrastructure may both use the technology. Future modifications to the solution could include contact tracing, disease-specific protocol, and picture recognition for staff access. SGH will be in the best possible situation when the subsequent epidemic occurs.
In the meantime, SGH is a regional leader in 3D-printed breast implants. Patients with moderate to severe symptoms may choose to undergo the minimally invasive Nuss treatment. In partnership with other medical facilities, the SGH was able to create the bioresorbable implant utilizing CT scan pictures of the patient that were prepared for 3D printing by the SGH’s Department of Diagnostic Radiology. A prototype implant was used to test the fit on SGH-printed models of the chest wall.
SGH’s 3D printing technology currently enables surgical teams to practice difficult cases and pre-size and pre-shape implants before surgery. With the inauguration of its very own 3D printing Center at the end of this year, the SGH will take advantage of the potential of 3D printing and increase its use to enhance patient care.
