In a remarkable collaboration that has spanned a decade, Masimo and GE HealthCare continue to revolutionize patient monitoring technology. The latest stride in their partnership involves the integration of Masimo's pulse oximetry technology into GE HealthCare's FDA-approved Portrait Mobile portable monitoring system.
Initially utilizing GE HealthCare's TruSignal sensors to monitor blood oxygen saturation, the Portrait Mobile system has now incorporated Masimo's Signal Extraction Technology (SET) pulse oximetry. Masimo's SET technology has been shown to be better in many studies. It works especially well when there is low blood flow and when patients are moving around, which is an important feature for the wearable Portrait Mobile system that is meant to track patients easily in a hospital setting.
The Portrait Mobile system serves as an open platform compatible with various technologies. Neal Sandy, the General Manager of Monitoring Solutions at GE, highlighted the flexibility and scalability of their platform, stating, "Portrait Mobile is built as an open platform with the capability to be compatible with other technologies. The ability to integrate Masimo’s innovative SET pulse oximetry into a wearable sensor demonstrates the flexibility and scalability of our new platform while leveraging Masimo’s measurement expertise."
Since its debut in mid-2022, the Portrait Mobile system has received CE marking for use in Europe and obtained clearance for use in the United States during the summer of the same year. The system employs adhesive patches on the chest to measure respiratory and pulse rates, along with pulse oximetry recorded through a fingertip sensor. Wireless sensors transmit their readings via Bluetooth to a compact monitor, easily fitting into a patient's pocket. The monitor, in turn, sends the combined data to a dashboard for real-time scrutiny by healthcare professionals.
This continuous 24/7 monitoring capability addresses a critical gap in traditional in-hospital monitoring, where vital signs are typically checked every few hours. The Portrait Mobile system empowers nurses and doctors to closely follow patients' progress and intervene promptly if symptoms worsen. GE HealthCare emphasizes the potential for preventing post-surgery complications, which can be fatal if overlooked, citing 30-day post-surgery mortality as the world's third-leading cause of death.
Neal Sandy asserted in a recent release that the Portrait Mobile system enhances clinical decision-making for mobile patients and facilitates early detection of deterioration. The collaboration between GE HealthCare and Masimo, initiated in 2012 for pulse oximetry expertise, reflects a commitment to advancing patient monitoring technologies. In the future, GE wants to add Masimo's Rainbow SET technology to a number of different patient monitoring devices so that it can continuously and noninvasively track things like total hemoglobin, oxygen content, perfusion index, and pulse rate.
In a landscape where innovation is paramount, Masimo and GE HealthCare's enduring partnership continues to redefine the standards of patient care through cutting-edge monitoring solutions.
