Database and model for monitoring and predicting outcomes with vascular access devices

• US 20060020490A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paul E. Staton Jr
• Original Assignee: Paul E. Staton Jr
• Inventors: Staton, Paul E. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/927,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020490A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A method is provided for monitoring and predicting usage and health outcomes with respect to the utilization of vascular access devices.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a vascular access device including the steps of:

identifying a plurality of characteristics relating to the vascular access device;

observing conditions corresponding to the characteristics;

recording data for each characteristic based upon the corresponding observed condition; and

calculating an indication of performance of the vascular access device based upon the recorded data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated indication is a numerical value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is recorded in a database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a predictive model is applied to data to determine which characteristics are indicative of the performance of the vascular access device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes subjective observations.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of generating a report of information indicating the performance of the vascular device over time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated performance indication is provided by a predictive model.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predictive model is created and updated using artificial intelligence techniques.

9. A method of predicting healthcare outcomes with respect to the use of a vascular access device including the steps of:

administering a vascular access device to a patient;

periodically observing a plurality of pre-determined characteristics relating to the vascular access device;

recording data representing the periodic observations; and

generating an indication of a likely healthcare outcome with respect to the use of the vascular access device based on the recorded data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the recording step includes the step of inputting the data into a database.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication is generated by a predictive model.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the predictive model is created and updated using artificial intelligence techniques.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the predictive model assigns weights to the data corresponding to each of the characteristics, the weights being a function of the ability of the characteristic to predict the healthcare outcome with respect to the vascular access device.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication is expressed as a number.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the number correlates to a level of observable care being provided to the patient.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the number correlates to a current state of the vascular access device.

17. The method of claim 9, further including the step of receiving a recommended caregiver action.

18. A method of maintaining the health of patients utilizing a vascular access devices including the steps of:

administering vascular access devices to a plurality of patients;

periodically observing characteristics of the vascular access devices;

recording the characteristics of the vascular access devices;

determining the characteristics having a correlation to an ultimate healthcare outcome with respect to the vascular access system;

using the correlated characteristics to provide a predictive system of vascular access device health;

administering a first vascular access device to a first patient;

recording correlated characteristics of the first vascular access device; and

receiving a report on the current health of the patient and likely healthcare outcome of the patient with respect to the vascular access device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the report is generated by the predictive model.

20. A method of maintaining the health of a patient utilizing a vascular access device including the steps of:

recording pre-determined characteristics of a first vascular access device; and

receiving a report describing the current health of the patient and likely health outcome of the patient with respect to the vascular access device, the report being produced by a predictive system, the predictive system being populated by administering vascular access devices to a plurality of patients, periodically observing the vascular access devices, recording characteristics of the vascular access devices, and determining the characteristics having a correlation to the ultimate healthcare outcome with respect to the use of the vascular access system.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the characteristics are recorded in a database.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the database and predictive system are accessible over a network by a plurality of computers.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein users are provided with licenses to utilize the predictive system.