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GE HealthCare’s Portrait Mobile and real-time monitoring of vital signs

August 24, 2023

What’s new in wearable vital signs monitoring solutions?  

GE HealthCare’s Portrait Mobile wireless monitoring device received FDA clearance this month, paving the way for its use in U.S. hospitals. The device had already received a CE Mark for use in Europe. The Portrait Mobile device is unique in its ability to untether patients from their hospital beds, while still providing healthcare teams with critical, real-time vital signs data. (Park, 2023) 

What’s the potential patient impact?  

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), patients’ vital signs are typically assessed intermittently every 4-8 hours in a hospital’s general care unit. Real-time, continuous monitoring of critical information enables healthcare teams to more quickly identify and respond to acute events and potential patient deterioration.  

Patient mobility promotes faster recovery and is an important, established aspect of care, particularly following major surgery or illness that requires immobilization in a hospital bed. Most patient monitoring devices on the market are wired, preventing patients from moving far beyond their bed. (Park, 2023) According to GE Healthcare, Portrait Mobile improves upon traditional design by incorporating electronic sensors and a wireless, smartphone-like device that enables patients to move about their hospital unit and potentially shorten the duration of their hospitalization.

How does it work?  

Portrait Mobile consists of wearable sensors and fingertip pulse oximeters that continuously collect vital sign data and wirelessly transmit that information to a smartphone-like monitor that can be clipped onto a hospital gown or slipped into a pocket. This data is then shared to a dashboard where clinicians can track changes to their patient’s health in real time. The sensors monitor respiration, blood oxygen, and pulse rates. (Park, 2023) GE HealthCare’s existing dual-vector respiration rate measurement technology is used to precisely capture vital signs, even in mobile patients. (GE HealthCare) 

What’s the evidence?  

GE HealthCare conducted a 2021 real-world study of the use of Portrait Mobile in a London hospital and found that, of the 27 nurses surveyed, 99% agreed the system could help them detect patient deterioration earlier than typical observation methods. In addition, 90% of those surveyed said the continuous monitoring allowed them to feel more confident of their patients’ condition compared to the usual spot checks. (GE HealthCare, 2023)  

According to GE HealthCare’s news release, Portrait Mobile is currently being evaluated in a joint trial led by Dr. Daniel Sessler, professor and chair of outcomes research at Cleveland Clinic.  

Sources: 

Park, A. (2023, Aug 15). With FDA nod, GE HealthCare paints US launch of Portrait patient monitoring system. Fierce Biotech. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/fda-nod-ge-healthcare-paints-us-launch-portrait-patient-monitoring-system  

(2023, Aug 14). News release: GE HealthCare receives FDA clearance for Portrait Mobile, a first-of-its-kind, wireless monitoring solution aiding early detection of patient deterioration. Business Wire. https://investor.gehealthcare.com/news-releases/news-release-details/ge-healthcare-receives-fda-clearance-portrait-mobile-first-its