Measuring body temperature wirelessly: acceptance in a hospital environment and possible surveillance implications

Abstract

In this study, we present measuring and monitoring body temperature using a device that can gather data about temperature and send them wirelessly to a router that sends the data to a computer where the patients’ temperatures can be read. The computer can also create a temperature timeline for assessing patients’ temperature history and alert staff when any monitored patient has a high temperature. We employed the participative approach throughout the developing and testing process and conducted a research using a mixed-methods approach focused on acceptance of the device in a hospital environment. We found out that the device could be implemented in a hospital practice without any major technical problem, except for attachment of the device, but it poses a potential ethical problem, as the wireless thermometer can contribute to surveillance culture/atmosphere. Thus, excessive surveillance as an ethical issue needs to be addressed rather than technical issues.