Controlling pain with technology
Patients recovering from surgery are benefiting from an innovative technology at West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell, Idaho - the first in the state of Idaho to have it. The technology is a non-pharmaceutical solution for multimodal treatment of pain. Nationwide, it has proven to reduce discomfort in 83 percent of patients in a clinical setting.
The discomfort management system includes a tablet computer, EEG (electroencephalography) headband, and AccendoWave Software. It is a learning technology that presents a wide variety of content including videos, games and music on the tablet. By objectively measuring the patient's brainwaves through the EEG headband, the software identifies the type of content that is relaxing, reduces anxiety and pain levels. Then it delivers more of that content to the patient.
This option is helping patients to effectively control pain and even nausea in the hospital's MEDSURG and ortho-spine units as they recover from surgery and in some cases pre-operation. It is also being utilized in the emergency department, the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and the Family Maternity Center.
Here are some results of a recent survey of 216 patients at West Valley Medical Center:
- Have you enjoyed using AccendoWave? Yes responses: 90.28%
- Did AccendoWave help you feel more comfortable? Yes responses: 81.94 percent
- Did it understand the level of your discomfort? Yes responses: 71.30 percent
Here are some news stories with more information regarding the technology: