COVID-19 eGate Screening System

University of Sydney researchers and Sydney Children’s Hospital Network have launched an Australian-first COVID-19 eGate Internet of Things integrated entry screening system at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Tested earlier this year, and with potential for expansion in the future, the e-Gate provides an efficient screening and contact tracing process before people enter hospital.

Dr Audrey P Wang, the lead researcher in Biomedical Informatics and Digital Health from the University of Sydney, explains the system uses a QR code for physical gate-enabled access based on a combination of evidence-based COVID-19 screening questions and temperature checks.

“Our system utilises near real-time data analytics that are updated as case locations change or if further testing is required”. Dr. Wang said.

Sydney Children's Hospitals Network Project Lead and Director of ICT Mr Michael Dickinson said the system had been trialled by more than 1500 staff and regular visitors over the past eight months.

“Not only does the e-Gate have the ability to be easily expanded to other hospitals but, the internet-of-things smart approach to health screening during the pandemic could be useful in other large locations– such as airports and major sports/entertainment venues,” Mr Dickinson said.

“The all-in-one system not only provides self-assessment of symptoms but can be updated to include new sensors and collect information such as vaccination status”.

The pilot won the Health Award category in the 2021 IoT Awards.

The system will alert people and recommend further clinically defined checks such as COVID-19 testing such as polymerase chain reaction testing if a person has self-identified risk factors such as possible COVID-19 symptoms or if the sensor determines that their current body surface temperature exceeds the pre-determined threshold. When the system detects that the surface body temperature is above a pre-determined threshold, the smart sensing system will issue a warning to alert concierge staff to conduct further clinical checks such as testing for COVID-19. This system allows concierge staff who oversee the health screening to maintain physical distance from the health screening station and only require staff to intervene, as per their clinical policy and procedures if the alert was triggered.

*The system aims to support not replace clinical decision making by concierge staff by allowing remote or physically distanced monitoring.