Jointly launched by SingHealth and Integrated Health Information System (IHiS), the vital signs monitoring kiosks are equipped with a blood pressure monitor, an iPad tablet computer with Health Discovery Plus software installed together with an ID card scanner. The elderly can measure their blood pressure by following the steps on the screen.
Prior to this, the elderly had to go to the community nursing post, where the nurses will assist them with measurement of their blood pressure. Even if they have a blood pressure monitor at home, they must record the readings manually. The kiosk simplifies the testing procedure into seven steps, and the interface has four built-in languages, so that the elderly can check their blood pressure readings themselves and understand what to do next.
The kiosk automatically enters the results into the SingHealth Group's electronic medical record system, allowing medical staff to observe and follow up with the elderly accordingly. In addition, the design of the kiosk was also made convenient for wheelchair users to take their measurements while in a wheelchair.
Zeng Wei Guo (69 years old) is a member of Jalan Kukoh Senior Activity Centre, he starting checking his blood pressure at the kiosk installed in the centre every week since September last year. "The device is easy to use," he said. "You don't have to wait in line at the clinic to take your blood pressure, and you don't have to bother medical staff to do the measurement for you."
At present, a total of 207 seniors use the blood pressure monitoring station, and 53 of them had lower blood pressure one month after the self-test, with an average reduction of 3% in systolic blood pressure.
Ms Stephanie Teo, Director, Community Nursing, SingHealth Office of Regional Health, said: "High blood pressure usually has no obvious symptoms and is difficult to detect. If it is not treated in time, it may lead to serious complications such as stroke, heart failure, organ damage. Therefore, the kiosk is located in Senior Activity Centres which allow the elderly to measure their blood pressure regularly and receive timely treatment when abnormal blood pressure occurs.”
Vincent Lim Jun Wee, a senior staff nurse at SingHealth, said that the community nursing station provides various medical consultation services. Allowing the elderly to check their blood pressure by themselves not only improves the efficiency, but also reduces the burden on medical staff.
20乐龄中心设血压检测站 年长者可随时自行检测
由新保集团和综合保健信息系统公司（IHiS）合作推出的血压检测站，设有血压测量仪、安装了Health Discovery Plus软件的iPad平板电脑，以及身份证扫描器，年长者扫描身份证后，可根据屏幕上的步骤测量血压。
在这之前，年长者须到社区护理站，由护士协助量血压。即使家中有血压测量仪，也须自行记录。检测站将检测程序简化为七个步骤，操作界面内置四种语言，方便年长者查看血压情况，并了解下一步该怎么做。
检测站将结果自动输入新保集团的电子医疗记录系统，让医疗人员即时观测以作后续跟进，并且掌握病患的医疗史等资料。此外，检测站的设计也方便轮椅使用者推近轮椅做检测。
曾伟国（69岁）是惹兰固哥牛车水乐龄活动中心的会员，他从去年9月开始每周前来测量血压。他说：“这个仪器很容易用，不用到诊所排队等候量血压，更不必麻烦医务人员帮忙做检测。”
目前，共有207名年长者使用血压检测站，其中53人的血压在自检一个月后有所降低，收缩压平均降低了3%。
新保集团区域医疗系统的社区护理署长张瑞芳说：“高血压通常没有明显症状，难以察觉。如果没有及时治疗，可能导致中风、心脏衰竭、器官损伤等严重并发症。因此，将检测站设在邻里乐龄活动中心，可以让年长者定时测量血压，在血压出现异状时及时得到治疗。”
新保集团高级社区护士林峻伟说，社区护理站提供各种医疗咨询服务，让年长者自己检测血压，不但提高检测效率，也减缓了医务人员的负担。
Source: Lianhe Zaobao © Singapore Press Holdings Limited | Reproduced with permission.
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