David S Kroll1, Escel Stanghellini2, Stephanie L DesRoches2, Charles Lydon2, Allison Webster2, Molly O'Reilly3, Shelley Hurwitz4, Patricia M Aylward2, Jennifer A Cartright2, Elizabeth J McGrath2, Linda Delaporta2, Anna T Meyer2, Michael S Kristan2, Laurie J Falaro2, Colin Murphy3, Jennifer Karno5, Daniel J Pallin6, Adam Schaffer4, Sejal B Shah7, Barbara E Lakatos2, Monique T Mitchell2, Christine A Murphy2, Janet M Gorman2, David F Gitlin7, Deborah F Mulloy8. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02125, USA; Harvard Medical School, 250 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: dskroll@bwh.harvard.edu. 2. Department of Nursing, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02125, USA. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02125, USA. 4. Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02125, USA; Harvard Medical School, 250 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. 5. Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02125, USA; Division of Social Work, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02125, USA. 6. Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02125, USA; Harvard Medical School, 250 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. 7. Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02125, USA; Harvard Medical School, 250 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. 8. Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine, 200 Harvard Mill Square, Wakefield, MA 01880, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether continuous virtual monitoring, an intervention that facilitates patient observation through video technology, can be used to monitor suicide risk in the general hospital and emergency department (ED). METHOD: This was a retrospective analysis of a protocol in which select patients on suicide precautions in the general hospital and ED received virtual monitoring between June 2017 and March 2018. The primary outcome was the number of adverse events among patients who received virtual monitoring for suicide risk. Secondary outcomes were the percentage of patients for whom virtual monitoring was discontinued for behavioral reasons and the preference for observation type among nurses. RESULTS: 39 patients on suicide precautions received virtual monitoring. There were 0 adverse events (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.000-0.090). Virtual monitoring was discontinued for behavioral reasons in 4/38 cases for which the reason for terminating was recorded (0.105, 95%CI = 0.029-0.248). We were unable to draw conclusions regarding preference for observation type among nurses due to a low response rate to our survey. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide risk can feasibly be monitored virtually in the general hospital or ED when their providers carefully select patients for low impulsivity risk.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether continuous virtual monitoring, an intervention that facilitates patient observation through video technology, can be used to monitor suicide risk in the general hospital and emergency department (ED). METHOD: This was a retrospective analysis of a protocol in which select patients on suicide precautions in the general hospital and ED received virtual monitoring between June 2017 and March 2018. The primary outcome was the number of adverse events among patients who received virtual monitoring for suicide risk. Secondary outcomes were the percentage of patients for whom virtual monitoring was discontinued for behavioral reasons and the preference for observation type among nurses. RESULTS: 39 patients on suicide precautions received virtual monitoring. There were 0 adverse events (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.000-0.090). Virtual monitoring was discontinued for behavioral reasons in 4/38 cases for which the reason for terminating was recorded (0.105, 95%CI = 0.029-0.248). We were unable to draw conclusions regarding preference for observation type among nurses due to a low response rate to our survey. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide risk can feasibly be monitored virtually in the general hospital or ED when their providers carefully select patients for low impulsivity risk.