System and method for using a video monitoring system to prevent and manage decubitus ulcers in patients

• US 10,387,720 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Careview Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Careview Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven Gail, Clark, Matthew Cameron, Ecker, Stephen, Johnson, Kyle Brook, Kuether, Richard Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, Dave
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brumfield, Shanika M
• Application Number:
  US14/188,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20140247334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,003 Days
• Field of Search: 348 77, 34057301, 705 2, 705 4
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/40 in video content extracting overlay text G06V20/62; video retrieval G06F16/70; processing of video elementary streams in video servers H04N21/234; processing of video elementary streams in video clients H04N21/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/44 Event detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A video monitoring system captures image frames of a patient in various positions. The captured image frames are analyzed by the system for changes in a patient'"'"'s position or movement, frames in which the system detects one or both of patient movement and repositioning are retained. The system analyzes an area of interest within each image frame that corresponds to an area in the camera'"'"'s view field with the patient. Sequential image frames are compared for motion, only frames without motion, where the patient is still, are analyzed.

Claims

1. A method for using a video monitoring system to prevent and manage decubitus ulcers in patients, the method comprising:

receiving a decubitus ulcer patient repositioning schedule at the video monitoring system via a user interface including a plurality of patient position selections and corresponding timer selections, the patient repositioning schedule comprising a plurality of patient positions on a support surface, the plurality of patient positions respectively corresponding to a plurality of different at-rest body orientations on the support surface and a plurality of patient position time intervals associated with the plurality of different at-rest body orientations;

receiving a plurality of image frames from a surveillance camera at the video monitoring system, each of the plurality of image frames containing a patient on a support structure;

overlaying one or more pixel lines on the plurality of image frames at a plurality of vertical positions based on a position of the patient, the one or more pixel lines described as pixels at given horizontal positions within the plurality of vertical positions of the plurality of image frames;

scanning the one or more pixel lines at the plurality of vertical positions for luminance values;

determining median horizontal positions of the one or more pixel lines based on pixels having above average luminance within the luminance values;

monitoring the position of the patient on the support surface by determining which of the plurality of different at-rest body orientations the patient exhibits in the plurality of image frames by analyzing the plurality of image frames with the video monitoring system based on the median horizontal positions of the one or more pixel lines;

determining the time in which the patient remains in a first patient position with the video monitoring system based on the monitoring, the first patient position corresponding to one of the plurality of different at-rest body orientations;

issuing a first alert within a surveillance window interface of the video monitoring system that indicates a correct patient position and an indication that the patient is not in the correct patient position based on the patient remaining in the first patient position for a duration exceeding one of the plurality of patient position time intervals that is associated with the first patient position, the surveillance window interface including time remaining in the correct patient position, a next patient position according to the patient repositioning schedule, and a field to submit a verification of a current position of the patient;

detecting a patient repositioning event with the video monitoring system based on the monitoring;

determining whether the patient repositioning event is not in compliance with the patient repositioning schedule with the video monitoring system based on whether the repositioning event is an unscheduled event and the position of the patient following the patient repositioning event is in conflict with the patient repositioning schedule; and

issuing a second alert within the surveillance window interface of the video monitoring system that indicates the correct patient position and the indication that the patient is not in the correct patient position based on the patient repositioning event not being in compliance with the patient repositioning schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the patient repositioning event comprises detecting a transition from a second patient position of the plurality of patient positions to a third patient position of the plurality of patient positions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient repositioning schedule comprises an order for which the patient is to turn between the plurality of patient positions.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether the patient repositioning event is not in compliance with the patient repositioning schedule comprises determining whether the patient has turned out of the order.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the patient repositioning event is not in compliance with the patient repositioning schedule comprises determining whether the patient has turned prematurely based on one of the plurality of patient position time intervals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising time stamping and storing at least some of the plurality of image frames in memory, wherein the patient is shown in each of the plurality of patient positions in the at least some of the plurality of image frames.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the time in which the patient remains in the first patient position and detecting the patient repositioning event are each performed by comparing at least one attribute of different image frames of the plurality of image frames between the different image frames.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of patient position time intervals are of different durations.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of patient positions on the support surface is either of a recumbent position or a seated position.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of patient positions comprise a left side position, a right side position, and a back side position.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein issuing one or both of the first alert and the second alert comprises generating one or more of an audible alarm and a visual alarm.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the decubitus ulcer patient repositioning schedule is one or more of entered, updated, or verified at the video monitoring system by a user.

13. A system for video monitoring to prevent and manage decubitus ulcers in patients, the system comprising:

a video camera configured to generate a plurality of image frames of a patient on a support structure;

an interface including a plurality of patient position selections and corresponding timer selections; and

a data processing system having a processor connected with memory and configured to;

receive a decubitus ulcer patient repositioning schedule, the patient repositioning schedule comprising a plurality of patient positions on the support surface, the plurality of patient positions corresponding respectively to a plurality of different at-rest body orientations on the support surface and respectively to a plurality of patient position time intervals associated with the plurality of different at-rest body orientations;

receive the plurality of image frames from the video camera;

overlay one or more pixel lines on the plurality of image frames at a plurality of vertical positions based on a position of the patient, the one or more pixel lines described as pixels at given horizontal positions within the plurality of vertical positions of the plurality of image frames;

scan the one or more pixel lines at the plurality of vertical positions for luminance values;

determine median horizontal positions of the one or more pixel lines based on pixels having above average luminance within the luminance values;

monitor the position of the patient on the support surface by determining which of the plurality of different at-rest body orientations the patient exhibits in the plurality of image frames by analyzing the plurality of image frames based on the median horizontal positions of the one or more pixel lines;

determine the time in which the patient remains in a first patient position based on the monitoring, the first patient position corresponding to one of the plurality of different at-rest body orientations;

issue a first alert within a surveillance window interface that indicates a correct patient position and an indication that the patient is not in the correct patient position based on the patient remaining in the first patient position for a duration exceeding one of the plurality of patient position time intervals that is associated with the first patient position, the surveillance window interface including time remaining in the correct patient position, a next patient position according to the patient repositioning schedule, and a field to submit a verification of a current position of the patient;

detect a patient repositioning event based on the monitoring;

determine whether the patient repositioning event is not in compliance with the patient repositioning schedule based on whether the repositioning event is an unscheduled event and the position of the patient following the patient repositioning event is in conflict with the patient repositioning schedule; and

issue a second alert within the surveillance window interface that indicates the correct patient position and the indication that the patient is not in the correct patient position based on the patient repositioning event not being in compliance with the patient repositioning schedule.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the data processing system data is configured to detect the patient repositioning event by detecting a transition from a second patient position of the plurality of patient positions to a third patient position of the plurality of patient positions.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the patient repositioning schedule comprises an order for which the patient is to turn between the plurality of patient positions.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data processing system data is configured to determine whether the patient repositioning event is not in compliance with the patient repositioning schedule by determining whether the patient has turned out of the order.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the data processing system data is configured to determine whether the patient repositioning event is not in compliance with the patient repositioning schedule by determining whether the patient has turned prematurely based on one of the plurality of patient position time intervals.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the data processing system data is configured to time stamp and store at least some of the plurality of image frames in the memory, wherein the patient is shown in each of the plurality of patient positions in the at least some of the plurality of image frames.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the data processing system data is configured to monitor the time in which the patient remains in the first patient position and detect the patient repositioning event by comparing at least one attribute of different image frames of the plurality of image frames between the different image frames.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of patient positions comprise a left side position, a right side position, and a back side position.