Neonatal physiological trend monitoring by computer.

A premature baby born up to four months early is a fragile patient dependent on intensive care. The body systems are physiologically immature and so tolerate stress badly. The tendency of these infants to rapidly deteriorate, has led us to use a cotside computer monitoring system which displays physiological trends. Information from standard neonatal monitors is accessed by individual cotside PC's linked to a central network server and Doctors terminal. Trend graphs can be easily manipulated, displaying from 7 minutes to 3 days of physiological information on a single screen. Pathology may be observed in real time as it occurs. The system has 3 main areas of use, (a) as a real time clinical aid to patient management, e.g. apnoea of the newborn; (b) as a research tool, demonstrating the effects of procedures on physiology; (c) for educating members of staff about how physiological events develop. Data is saved for the whole of each neonates intensive care stay. Assessment of staff and parent attitudes by questionnaire have been favourable.