Microsoft helps Austin Health provide remote patient monitoring

By Elly Yates-Roberts on 15 May 2020

Austin Health in Melbourne, Australia, has been using Microsoft technology to provide remote patient monitoring. The artificial intelligence and data-based solution helps patients self-assess to reduce numbers coming into hospital.

As part of its new COVID-Care series of solutions, Austin Health and Microsoft partner Arden Street Labs have set up a smartphone application to help patients record their Covid-19 symptoms and seek medical advice. According to a Microsoft news story, all symptom observations are reviewed by a clinician, but if any responses seem concerning Austin Health’s medical team is alerted through Power BI and the patient is called for a telephone or video consultation and advised what to do next. The system is also hosted in the Microsoft Azure cloud, ensuring enterprise-grade security.

“This technology has the potential to help us closely track the progress of patients from afar without breaking quarantine or isolation, keeping patients connected to arrange urgent medical care if required,” said Jason Kwong, medical director of infection control at Austin Health. “It’s also incredibly exciting to think about some of the future benefits we may be able to offer to our patients.”

Since deploying the smartphone solution, Austin Health has also been looking into ways to digitise appointments and scheduling for all patients, particularly since many procedures have been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Working with Arden Street Labs, Austin Health developed a system that invited patients to a secure portal via SMS where they could agree to an appointment time, ask for a consultation or reschedule. The portal also pre-screens patients for their Covid-19 risk, which not only provides clinicians with more information about their patients, it also reduces the workload on the organisation’s call centre.

To reduce physical contact and reduce virus transmission, the organisation has also implemented Microsoft Teams, allowing people to work from home and facilitating virtual meetings and ward rounds.