Accurately Measures and Records Fluid Volume, Eliminating Human Error in Clinical Settings
This fluid collection system uses sensors to accurately measure and record a patient’s fluid output for diagnostic and monitoring purposes. In clinical settings, fluid collection includes blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid, lung fluids, and wound exudates. The collection of these fluids is essential for diagnosing and managing diseases, monitoring health conditions, and guiding treatments. Currently, available collection devices rely on medical staff or patients to manually determine fluid level values by visual inspection. However, the manual monitoring of fluid collection presents the potential for human error such as forgetfulness to record output or recording incorrect amounts in a specific time period, causing medical professionals to lose trust in the objective data and increasing the likelihood of negative health outcomes for a patient.
In 2024, the Medical and Diagnostic Laboratory market is valued at $81.4 billion and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9% by 2030. Specifically, the global body fluid collection and diagnostics market is estimated at $34.35 billion in 2024, with an expected CAGR of 6.6% through 2030. This substantial growth is driven by the increasing demand for precise and automated fluid output measurement technologies, a shift towards early disease detection and personalized medicine, and the rising prevalence of chronic and acute medical conditions.
Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a fluid collection system, integrating various sensors for automatic measuring and reporting of fluid levels, that would be user friendly and equitable. This automated, patient-centered system eliminates the need for constant nurse supervision and provides highly accurate fluid volume measurements. By reducing manual handling, the system improves hygiene and sanitation, enhances user convenience, increases operational efficiency, and enables seamless monitoring of fluid output.
Application
Automated fluid collection system integrates sensors to detect and automatically measure fluid volume
Advantages
- Automates fluid level measurements, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing time and labor requirements
- Minimizes manual handling of the fluid canisters, significantly reducing the risk for contamination
- Accurately records fluid levels, improving medical reports and, in turn, patient health outcome
Technology
Fluid collection systems encompass devices, methods, and protocols designed to collect bodily fluids from patients for medical diagnosis, monitoring, or treatment. This automated collection system uses sensors, such as capacitance rods, pressure sensors, and weight scales or load cells, to automatically record fluid levels. A small processor or microcontroller unit takes volume measurements at chosen intervals, transmitting the information to an electronic medical record. This enables accurate output measurements and eliminates human interpreting errors or forgetfulness.
This automation enhances the experience of both healthcare providers and patients during fluid collection processes, including the collection of bodily fluids encountered in hospital, outpatient clinics, or patient’s own home. Beyond healthcare, the technology has potential applications in industrial and agricultural sectors, where precise handling and management of liquids are critical.
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