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Accurate Readings are Vital

Moving from Manual to Digital Vital Signs Monitors.

Vital signs matter. The first set of patient vital signs can provide a baseline reference for the entire chain of healthcare. The pressure to get it right is high.

Do these common worries sound familiar? If so, it may be time for your practice to move to a digital vital signs monitor.

“This blood pressure reading seems high. My patient is clearly uncomfortable here. Should I screen for hypertension or chalk it up to nerves?”

  • Evidence suggests that manual single-reading methods may not be sufficient for identifying and diagnosing hypertension. Mitigating factors may include white coat hypertension, among others1

  • Blood pressure averaging has been shown to reduce the misdiagnosis of hypertension by up to 56%.2 Select vital signs monitors feature automated blood pressure averaging, and are classified for unattended use. That means clinicians can leave the room while blood pressure is measured—helping to reduce the risk of white coat hypertension without impacting accuracy.

“Did I type in that patient’s blood pressure as 117/76 or 171/76?”

  • Manual transcription can easily lead to data entry errors and omissions in the EMR, which can negatively impact treatment decisions and patient outcomes.
  • To avoid data entry errors, choose a digital vital signs monitor that has the ability to connect with top EMRs, which can send accurate, timely vital signs data to your EMR with the tap of a button. No manual data entry required.

“Today was a busy day. In a rush, I rounded a few blood pressure readings up or down. I hope it doesn’t impact diagnosis.”

  • Under- or overestimating blood pressure by as little as 5 mmHg can lead clinicians to incorrectly rule in or out hypertension. The ramifications could include improper medication, unnecessary costs and negative psychological reactions.3

  • Opt for a vital signs monitor that records exact measurements and sends them directly to the EMR for more accurate documentation.

“My co-workers tell me I don’t hear as well as I used to. Could that be affecting my blood pressure assessments?”

  • Hearing levels and other environmental factors can impact the accuracy of manual readings.4 Hearing loss may lead to misreading the Korotkoff sounds at systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.5

  • Select a digital vital signs monitor that can take a full set of automated patient vitals in under a minute6, and help standardize clinical technique across practitioners.

You have enough to worry about. It's time to move to digital. Integrating digital vital signs monitors into your practice can help you:

  • Standardize workflow and clinical technique across practitioners
  • Provide accurate data, speeding up decision making and improving patient safety
  • Eliminate documentation and transcription errors
The Welch Allyn Connex® Spot Monitor blood pressure averaging view
References

1. 4. Pickering, Thomas G., MD, DPhil, et. al: Recommendations for Blood Pressure Measurement in Humans and Experimental Animals. Circulation. 2005; 111:697-716.

2. Robert Smith, MD. Blood pressure averaging methodology: Decreasing the risk of misdiagnosing hypertension

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2911816/

5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24361920

6. Estimate based on standard acquisition times for Welch Allyn sensors: Approximately 15 seconds for blood pressure, 4 to 7 seconds for temperature, and 8 to 12 seconds for SpO₂