Berlin-based hospital IoT provider simplinic has developed software that allows hospitals to determine contact histories at the touch of a button. If an employee or patient shows symptoms or has tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, Covid-19 crisis teams can immediately identify the most frequent contacts from the last few days and contact them for further testing. The software does not store the names of employees or patients, nor does it use smartphones or apps. It is based on a Bluetooth network from simplinic, which hospitals use to localize medical devices in buildings.
Berlin-based simplinic GmbH is a leading provider of Bluetooth-based asset tracking in hospitals. The software modules enable the precise localization of all kinds of medical devices and aids. This established technology has now been expanded to include a special analysis to determine a contact history. Patients and staff receive a Bluetooth transponder with a unique number. When issued, the names of patients, employees or service technicians are documented when they visit the clinic, but outside of the simplinic software. The Bluetooth transponders are continuously localized by the software in the clinic. As soon as one or more transponders are present in a room, this is saved as a contact history. The analysis provides the most frequent contacts, the most intensive contacts (in minutes) and also the contact zones with the most frequent contacts. The hospital or crisis team can assign the transponder number to a patient or employee and contact them.
"Our development was prompted by studies on the high number of Covid-19 cases among hospital employees and outbreaks in care homes. Our contact tracing provides analyses that are intended to make the targeted opening of hospitals safer. If an infection occurs, the group of potentially affected people can be narrowed down immediately or the room concept can be reconsidered," says Steffen Geyer, founder and CEO of simplinic.
Contact tracing from simplinic is limited to contact histories in hospitals or other healthcare facilities such as nursing homes. For data protection reasons, the software does not store the names of patients or employees. Only the hospital can merge transponders and names. The contact histories are also stored for a very limited time. Clinics are recommended to establish the procedure together with the works council, data protection officer and crisis teams to ensure the trust of employees and patients. The simplinic Bluetooth infrastructure can also be installed in larger hospitals in just a few days.
