SHIFT Hospital in Motion (Pilot Study)

The goal of this monocentric observational study involving acute hospitalised patients is to develop a classification algorithm for the detection of various movements parameters.

Patients in hospitals spend the majority of their time inactive, sitting or lying down. Not being active is a common problem for patients in hospitals, often causing complications and impairing recovery, as it can lead to issues such as reduced blood volume, unsteady blood pressure when standing, weaker muscles, and a higher risk of infections, blood clots, and other health issues. The inactivity-related changes in the body in combination with the natural ageing process, the stress of being in the hospital, a poor nutritional status, and possibly troubles with thinking, memory, and understanding or depression diminish the ability to regenerate with overall compromised physiological resilience. In order to quantify the amount of physical activity of hospitalised patients, the ability of activity sensors to distinguish between lying, sitting, standing and walking is an important requirement. The primary objective of this observational, single center study is to develop an algorithm for the detection of various movements parameters. Therefore, enrolled patients, wearing a sensor on either ankle, wrist, or upper thigh, perform a fixed set of movements to generate acceleration and movement data. The secondary objective is the evaluation of the best suited position of wearing the sensor. The results of this pilot study will provide information about the feasibility and effectiveness of using activity sensors in clinical settings and will advance healthcare by developing an algorithm that accurately determines the activity patterns of hospitalized patients, thereby enhancing monitoring and understanding of patient mobility in hospital settings.