Vitalthings Somnofy Provides Comprehensive Oversight

Volda Municipality has deployed Vitalthings Somnofy for digital monitoring of residents at the municipality's nursing homes and staffed care apartments. This has resulted in improved well-being among the residents and reduced stress among the staff.

Like many other municipalities in Norway, we face an increasing number of elderly and individuals with dementia. Additionally, we are at risk of a healthcare personnel shortage. Given our municipal budget constraints, it is imperative that we maximize the services and resources we already possess.

Karianne Sveen Orvik

Coordinator for Welfare Technology
Volda Municipality

Like many other municipalities in Norway, we face an increasing number of elderly and individuals with dementia. Additionally, we are at risk of a healthcare personnel shortage. Given our municipal budget constraints, it is imperative that we maximize the services and resources we already possess.

Karianne Sveen Orvik

Coordinator for Welfare Technology
Volda Municipality

Vitalthings Somnofy monitors residents without requiring them to wear any devices or using cameras. The monitor is mounted on the wall above the bed and sends information directly to the staff. Orvik explains that they strive to be proactive so the staff can utilize their time as efficiently as possible at work.

– We need tools that can assist them in managing their tasks. This could be technical support for administrative duties, such as scheduling, planning travel routes, and task lists, or it might involve a better overview of the residents, she says.

Monitoring the Status of All Residents

With Somnofy, staff members have a tablet that provides an overview of all residents connected to the system. Through this platform, they can simultaneously monitor the status of all rooms.

– They can see if residents are sleeping, restless, or have left their beds. They can be proactive by noticing if a resident, prone to falling, is about to leave their bed, and act accordingly. It is also possible to set up alerts to the duty phone for residents at high risk of falling. Some residents are independent and can visit the restroom at night without issues. In such cases, an alert can be set up if the resident does not return to bed after a certain period, Orvik explains.

This approach reduces the need for physical check-ins, which can disturb the residents' sleep and lead to unnecessary stress.

Critical Information for Decision Making

Vitalthings Somnofy can also provide information that more readily detects deterioration in users. Orvik notes that our breathing rate is highly sensitive to changes in the body.

– Often, we can detect deteriorations in data from Somnofy before the staff does. Since Somnofy is not classified as medical equipment, it does not trigger alarms related to vital parameters. However, we can use the data as a dialogue tool among users, staff, and doctors to follow up on diagnosis and treatment in the usual manner. Somnofy makes it easier for us to become aware of users who are experiencing negative developments, says Orvik.

Restlessness can be a sign of pain. The staff has access to a graph that displays restlessness from the previous night or over a period. By observing changes in this graph, a decision can be made to investigate whether the user is experiencing pain or discomfort.

– This is particularly valuable for users with reduced communication abilities, such as individuals with dementia. By identifying restlessness and pain, we can provide better pain relief and also prevent the user from becoming more agitated and demanding, says Orvik.

Sleep is Crucial

– Good sleep is essential for daily function and to prevent falls. This gives us valuable information about the sleep quality of users every single night, which we can use as a dialogue tool and as part of individualized treatment adaptation, says Orvik.

– Keep an eye on the graphs, and see what happens if we change something in the user's environment. Why is the user sleeping poorly? Is it too warm in the room? Perhaps a lighter blanket would help? Maybe the user should avoid drinking coffee in the evening? These are suggestions I give to the staff, she continues.

Research and Validation

Alf-Egil Bogen, co-founder of Vitalthings which developed Somnofy, emphasizes the importance of research and collaboration with the healthcare sector in the development of the technology. Thorough and independent validation of new technology to be used with vulnerable groups is crucial.

– We work systematically and interdisciplinary with hospitals, institutions, and universities to develop our technology. We utilize advanced sensors, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to address real-world problems, says Bogen.

They began by creating a tool for sleep research, before developing the product into an accurate digital night guard. Somnofy has been meticulously validated against the gold standard in sleep analysis, Polysomnography (PSG), thus providing an accurate depiction of users' sleep quality.

– Since 2023, Vitalthings has been certified according to the medical standard ISO 13485, enabling us to develop, produce, sell, and distribute medical devices, says Bogen.

User Involvement is Key

The collaboration between Volda Municipality and Vitalthings has been crucial for the development of Somnofy. Orvik adds that it has been an exciting journey to be part of the technology's development.

– We have provided significant input into the product's development based on our experience as night guards and nurses. This has led to the product being tailored to the actual needs we face in the municipality, she says.

Easy to Use

The close collaboration with user involvement has also made the product simple and intuitive to use.

– The staff needs to familiarize themselves with many new digital solutions, so it must be made simple. If it becomes too complex, the technology won't be used. Somnofy also allows us to define different roles among the staff, where some can have more responsibility and advanced access than others, says Orvik.

Volda Municipality has now decided to broaden the implementation of Somnofy even further. The goal is for there to be Somnofy in every room at institutions and staffed care apartments by the end of 2024/the beginning of 2025.

– We are also trying it out in home care services, says Orvik.