Two forms of CHD were selected for remote monitoring investigation within DTfH - Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and Pulmonary Hypertension. HLHS is the most frequent cause of death in the first month of life for children with CHD. However, there is little evidence or understanding of the events that precede death.  Advances in foetal echocardiography, surgical procedures and intensive care have led to improving operative mortality. There still remains a need to improve non-operative mortality and long-term outcomes, and to investigate the reasons for sudden death. This investigation requires a greater use of long term patient monitoring, which is both impractical and stressful within the hospital environment.  
The proof of concept system developed by QinetiQ allows physiological data to be collected from patient side monitors on a 24x7 basis. Data collected can be annotated to allow for subsequent analysis of critical events. Data collection is flexible, and includes ECG, temperature, pulse rate, non-invasive blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pulse oximetry. The system architecture is designed to be flexible, with data being transferred from the patient to the server in the hospital either by network (eg NHSnet), or using a domestic phone line. When monitoring patients outside the hospital environment, regular samples of physiological parameters are sent to the hospital for review. Near real time continuous data is sent to the hospital immediately preceding and following any critical event.

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