When the COVID-19 pandemic created an enormous surge in hospitalizations, health delivery organizations turned to telemedicine to reduce the need for face-to-face interactions. One innovative application at Massachusetts General Hospital used the SBR Health system to reduce unnecessary exposure and conserve PPE for inpatient care. The system used iPads affixed to mobile IV poles that could be placed in a patient’s room and allowed the clinicians to initiate a virtual encounter without requiring any action by the patient. The system was deployed in less than a week by configuring the SBR Health system that was already in place for outpatient visits.

There is a write-up of the usage at one site in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. At its peak, the system supported more than 1,000 iPads across the MGH/Brigham network.

There is also an article and accompanying video here: www.wired.com/story/ipads-crucial-health-tools-combating-covid-19.