Leveraging Computer Vision in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for Examining Visitation and Mobility

Despite the importance of closely monitoring patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), many aspects are still assessed in a limited manner due to the time constraints imposed on healthcare providers. For example, although excessive visitations during rest hours can potentially exacerbate the risk of circadian rhythm disruption and delirium, it is not captured in the ICU. Likewise, while mobility can be an important indicator of recovery or deterioration in ICU patients, it is only captured sporadically or not captured at all. In the past few years, the computer vision field has found application in many domains by reducing the human burden. Using computer vision systems in the ICU can also potentially enable non-existing assessments or enhance the frequency and accuracy of existing assessments while reducing the staff workload. In this study, we leverage a state-of-the-art noninvasive computer vision system based on depth imaging to characterize ICU visitations and patients' mobility. We then examine the relationship between visitation and several patient outcomes, such as pain, acuity, and delirium. We found an association between deteriorating patient acuity and the incidence of delirium with increased visitations. In contrast, self-reported pain, reported using the Defense and Veteran Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS), was correlated with decreased visitations. Our findings highlight the feasibility and potential of using noninvasive autonomous systems to monitor ICU patients.