The health care system in South Africa has an enormous problem concerning hospital bed communication and management. Hospitals have a system where patients are able to call for assistance by pressing a button. Many of the buttons in use offer functions such as a nurse call, adjusting the bed and changing the television channel.
Patients with reduced motor function (forms of paralysis) however do not have the dexterity necessary to select or press the correct button to call for assistance. Therefore there is a need for a call button designed for them.
The Qbell Care System is a device compatible with existing hospital systems, which assists weaker patients by making it easier to use. QSystems SA, in collaboration with the Product Development Technology Station, produced the device, made it more cost effective than international competitors and also improved functionality in African environments.
It was the brainchild of Heinrich Williams, a quadriplegic, entrepreneur and owner of QSystems SA, who could not use a normal call button and he developed the idea over many years. His company is commercializing the device.
The aim is to help give vulnerable people their independence and security back, while confined to a hospital bed. It is a TPU soft button, ideal for patients without hand function, which can be triggered by multiple body movements.
The system also improves patient care as it records important data. Information such as the response time of nursing staff, which units are over and under staffed and bed occupancy is also captured. An automatic alarm can also be scheduled for patients that need regular assistance.
The Qbell Care System has some unique features. The force required to press the button is low enough to allow those with minimal motor control to easily operate it. The device has an outer surface that does not irritate the user or causes discomfort and it also is water resistant and has no accessible areas (making disinfecting possible). Furthermore, it plugs into the existing hospital infrastructure and the system alerts nursing staff through an in-house developed radio mesh network.