WESTFIELD — Many Westfield Memorial Hospital patients requiring telemetry monitoring will no longer have to be transferred to another Allegheny Health Network hospital, and can receive care in their own community, thanks to a new 24/7 telemetry monitoring system recently launched at the hospital.

The GE APEX-Pro CH Telemetry System is a wireless mobile monitoring system that enables patients to move about their room and be taken to other parts of the hospital for testing and treatment. Patients wear a small device that tracks key vital signs and are monitored at a master control center 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The $400,000 system, now installed at Westfield Memorial Hospital, includes 24 telemetry monitors, both for inpatients and outpatients, and functions with wireless coverage on the first and second floors of the hospital.

The technology provides enhanced heart arrhythmia monitoring, and also measures heart rate, pulse ox levels and heart irregularities. The technology is also compatible with patients who have pacemakers.

The ApexPro CH telemetry system’s battery-efficient design is proven to last a minimum of 120 hours without accessories, supporting most patient stays without a battery change.

“This investment is part of Allegheny Health Network’s commitment to keeping care close to home, and Westfield Memorial is so pleased to be able to keep patients who need telemetry monitoring at the hospital and in our community,” said Karen Surkala, Westfield Memorial Hospital president. \“This advanced technology allows us to provide constant vigilance for these patients, whether they are in their beds, moving about their rooms, or in other areas of the hospital having a diagnostic test or treatment. ApexPro CH puts vital information in caregivers’ hands wherever they are, at the moment they need it most.”