The use of opioids for treatment of acute post-operative pain is rather commonplace, but patients with obstructed sleep apnea are at risk for respiratory depression and arrest, which can lead to anoxic brain injury or death if left unattended, writes Bernoulli Chief Analytics Officer John Zaleski, PhD, CAP, CPHIMS, in an article published in HIMSS FutureCare.

However, continuous electronic monitoring of these patient populations presents considerable challenges to many hospitals and health systems, including lack of continuous bedside monitoring devices, alarm fatigue and lack of coverage for patients at risk.

Zaleski explores the technology, staff education, and real-time data requirements necessary to improve this patient safety threat.

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