First aid system

• US 20050015115A1
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Joseph L., Nova, Richard C., Owen, James M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4824 Touch or pain perception evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/924 Medical

Abstract

In general, the invention is directed to techniques for determining appropriate first aid and applying first aid that is appropriate. A first aid system receives patient status information from an input device or a sensor, and presents first aid information as a function of the received patient status information. The first aid system may be incorporated with an external defibrillator. The first aid system may acquire patient status information through an interaction with an operator, in which the first aid system asks the operator to supply patient status information. In one embodiment of the invention, the operator may supply patient status information by touching a diagram representing at least a portion of a human body.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a diagram representing at least a portion of a human body;

receiving a selection of a part of the displayed human body; and

presenting first aid information as a function of the selection.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the portion of the human body is a first portion, the method further comprising displaying a second portion of the human body as a function of the selection, in which the second portion depicts a more specific region of the body than the first portion.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an interrogation as a function of the selection;

receiving a response to the interrogation; and

presenting the first aid information as a function of the response.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising summoning emergency medical personnel as a function of the selection.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a therapy to a patient as a function of the selection.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering an electrotherapy to a patient.

7. The method of claim 6, in which the electrotherapy comprises a defibrillation therapy.

8. The method of claim 1, in which receiving a selection comprises sensing contact on a touch screen that displays the part of the human body.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting an acknowledgement of the selected part.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the first aid information comprises at least one of a presumptive first aid diagnosis, an instruction that directs a use of a first aid supply, and an instruction that directs an application of a first aid technique.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an alarm as a function of the selection.

12. A method comprising:

presenting a menu of patient conditions;

receiving a selection from the menu; and

presenting first aid information as a function of the selection.

13. The method of claim 12, in which the selection comprises first patient status information, the method further comprising:

receiving second patient status information from an input device; and

presenting the first aid information as a function of the second patient status information.

14. The method of claim 12, in which the selection comprises first patient status information, the method further comprising:

receiving second patient status information from a sensor; and

presenting the first aid information as a function of the second patient status information.

15. The method of claim 12, in which the menu is a first menu, the method further comprising presenting a second menu of patient conditions as a function of the selection.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating an interrogation as a function of the selection;

receiving a response to the interrogation; and

presenting the first aid information as a function of the response.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising summoning emergency medical personnel as a function of the selection.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising delivering a therapy to a patient as a function of the selection.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising delivering electrotherapy to a patient.

20. The method of claim 19, in which the electrotherapy comprises a defibrillation therapy.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating an alarm as a function of the selection.

22. The method of claim 12, in which the first aid information comprises at least one of a presumptive first aid diagnosis, an instruction that directs a use of a first aid supply, and an instruction that directs an application of a first aid technique.

23. The method of claim 12, in which presenting first aid information comprises directing an operator to apply a sensor to the patient.

24. The method of claim 12, in which presenting first aid information comprises recommending a course of action.

25. A device comprising:

an electrical source to generate electrotherapy;

at least two electrodes coupled to the electrical source to deliver the electrotherapy to a patient; and

at least one output device to present first aid information.

26. The device of claim 25, in which the electrotherapy comprises defibrillation therapy.

27. The device of claim 25, in which the output device comprises at least one of a touch screen, an LCD display, an LED display, an OLED display, a CRT display, an electroluminescent display, a plasma display, and a synthetic speech module.

28. The device of claim 25, further comprising a compartment to hold a first aid supply.

29. The device of claim 25, further comprising an input device to receive patient status information.

30. The device of claim 29, in which the input device comprises at least one of a touch screen, a button, a keyboard, a voice recognition module and a pointing tool.

31. The device of claim 25, further comprising a sensor to receive patient status information.

32. The device of claim 31, in which the sensor comprises at least one of an ECG monitor, an oxygen sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a respiratory sensor, a blood pressure sensor, a set of electrodes, and a temperature sensor.

33. The device of claim 25, further comprising a communication module.

34. The device of claim 33, in which the communication module is configured to summon emergency medical personnel.

35. The device of claim 25, further comprising an alarm module to generate an alarm.

36. The device of claim 25, further comprising a memory to store at least one of patient status information and first aid information.

37. The device of claim 36, further comprising an output device to output at least one of the patient status information and the first aid information stored in the memory.

38. The device of claim 25, in which the first aid information comprises first aid information about chest pain.

81. The device of claim 25,

in which the output device is further configured to display a diagram representing at least a portion of a human body and to receive a selection of a part of the displayed human body, and

in which the output device is further configured to present the first aid information as a function of the selection.

82. The device of claim 25, in which the output device is a first output device, the device further comprising:

a second output device configured to display a diagram representing at least a portion of a human body and to receive a selection of a part of the displayed human body, and

in which the first output device is further configured to present the first aid information as a function of the selection.

39. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

display a diagram representing at least a portion of a human body;

receive a selection of a part of the displayed human body; and

present first aid information as a function of the selection.

40. The medium of claim 39, in which the portion of the human body is a first portion and the instructions further causing the processor to display a second portion of the human body as a function of the selection, in which the second portion depicts a more specific region of the body than the first portion.

41. The medium of claim 39, the instructions further causing the processor to:

generate an interrogation as a function of the selection;

receive a response to the interrogation; and

present the first aid information as a function of the response.

42. The medium of claim 39, the instructions further causing the processor to summon emergency medical personnel as a function of the selection.

43. The medium of claim 39, the instructions further causing the processor to deliver a therapy to a patient as a function of the selection.

44. The medium of claim 39, the instructions further causing the processor to generate an alarm as a function of the selection.

45. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

present a menu of patient conditions;

receive a selection from the menu; and

present first aid information as a function of the selection.

46. The medium of claim 45, the instruction further causing the processor to:

receive patient status information from an input device; and

present the first aid information as a function of the patient status information.

47. The medium of claim 45, in which the menu is a first menu the instruction further causing the processor to present a second menu of patient conditions as a function of the selection.

48. The medium of claim 45, the instruction further causing the processor to:

generate an interrogation as a function of the selection;

receive a response to the interrogation; and

present the first aid information as a function of the response.

49. The medium of claim 45, the instruction further causing the processor to summon emergency medical personnel as a function of the selection.

50. The medium of claim 45, the instruction further causing the processor to deliver a therapy to a patient as a function of the selection.

51. The medium of claim 45, the instruction further causing the processor to generate an alarm as a function of the selection.

52. A method comprising:

receiving a first aid procedure;

storing the first aid procedure in memory; and

presenting first aid information as a function of the first aid procedure.

53. The method of claim 52, in which receiving the first aid procedure comprises receiving the first aid procedure via a network.

54. The method of claim 52, in which the first aid procedure is an updated first aid procedure, the method further comprising replacing an older first aid procedure with the updated first aid procedure.

55. The method of claim 52, in which the first aid procedure is an updated first aid sub-procedure, the method further comprising adding the first aid sub-procedure to an older first aid procedure.

56. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

receive a first aid procedure;

store the first aid procedure in memory; and

present first aid information as a function of the first aid procedure.

57. The medium of claim 56, in which the first aid procedure is an updated first aid procedure, the instructions further causing the processor to replace an older first aid procedure with the updated first aid procedure.

58. A method comprising:

requesting first patient status information associated with a patient;

receiving the first patient status information;

storing in memory the received first patient status information associated with the patient;

receiving second patient status information; and

presenting first aid information as a function of the first and second patient status information.

59. The method of claim 58, in which the first patient status information comprises at least one of a name of the patient, an age of the patient, a birth date of the patient, a gender of the patient, an ethnicity of the patient, a blood type of the patient, a height of the patient, a weight of the patient, a medical history of the patient, an alcohol usage of the patient, a tobacco usage of the patient, and a medication taken by the patient.

60. The method of claim 58, further comprising presenting a menu of patient conditions, in which receiving second patient status information comprises receiving a selection from the menu.

61. The method of claim 58, further comprising:

receiving an identification of the patient; and

presenting first aid information as a function of the first patient status information associated with the identified patient.

62. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

request first patient status information associated with a patient;

receive the first patient status information;

store in memory the received first patient status information associated with the patient;

receive second patient status information;

present first aid information as a function of the first and second patient status information.

63. The medium of claim 62, the instructions further causing the processor to present a menu of patient conditions, in which the instructions causing the processor to receive second patient status information cause the processor to receive a selection from the menu.

64. The medium of claim 62, the instructions further causing the processor to:

receive an identification of the patient; and

present first aid information as a function of the first patient status information associated with the identified patient.

65. A method comprising:

directing a person to apply at least one defibrillation electrode to a conscious patient;

measuring the electrocardiogram of the patient via the defibrillation electrode; and

presenting first aid information as a function of the measurement.

66. The method of claim 65, further comprising:

generating an interrogation as a function of the measurement;

receiving a response to the interrogation; and

presenting the first aid information as a function of the response.

67. A method comprising:

receiving first patient status information from a first sensor;

receiving second patient status information from a second sensor; and

presenting the first aid information as a function of the first and second patient status information.

68. The method of claim 67, further comprising:

generating an interrogation as a function of the first and second patient status information;

receiving a response to the interrogation; and

presenting the first aid information as a function of the response.

69. The method of claim 67, in which the first sensor comprises at least one of an ECG monitor, an oxygen sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a respiratory sensor, a blood pressure sensor, a set of electrodes, and a temperature sensor.

70. A system comprising:

a first sensor to receive first patient status information;

a second sensor to receive second patient status information; and

at least one output device to present first aid information as a function of the first patient status information and the second patient status information.

71. The system of claim 70, in which the output device comprises at least one of a touch screen, an LCD display, an LED display, OLED display, a CRT display, an electroluminescent display, a plasma display, and a synthetic speech module.

72. The system of claim 70, further comprising a compartment to hold a first aid supply.

73. The system of claim 70, further comprising an input device to receive patient status information.

74. The system of claim 70, in which the first sensor comprises at least one of an ECG monitor, an oxygen sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a respiratory sensor, a blood pressure sensor, a set of electrodes, and a temperature sensor.

75. A method comprising:

receiving an identification of a patient;

retrieving from memory patient status information associated with the identified patient; and

presenting first aid information as a function of the patient status information.

76. The method of claim 75, further comprising presenting a menu of patients, and in which receiving the identification of the patient comprises receiving a selection from the menu.

77. The method of claim 75, in which receiving the identification of the patient comprises receiving a signal from a sensor.

78. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

receive an identification of a patient;

retrieve from memory patient status information associated with the identified patient; and

present first aid information as a function of the patient status information.

79. The medium of claim 78, the instructions further causing the processor to present a menu of patients, and in which the instructions causing the processor to receive the identification of the patient cause the processor to receive a selection from the menu.

80. The medium of claim 78, in which the instructions causing the processor to receive the identification of the patient comprise instructions causing the processor to receive a signal from a sensor.