Patient monitoring alarm escalation system and method

• US 20070106126A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Mannheimer, Paul, Li, Li
• Application Number:
  US11/241,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106126A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• 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 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a patient monitoring alarm escalation system and method. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention include an alarm detection device configured to measure physiological data received via a patient monitor, the alarm detection device configured to initiate an alarm in response to predefined measurements of the physiological data, and an alarm device configured to emit a first signal with a first property and a second signal with a second property, the first signal being emitted when the alarm is initiated, the second signal being emitted if an alarm acknowledgement mechanism is not activated prior to a designated event.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

a monitor having a plurality of speakers and being configured to initiate a primary alarm through one of the plurality of speakers in response to predefined measurements of physiological data and, a secondary alarm through another of the plurality of speakers.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising an alarm acknowledgement mechanism.

3. The system of claim 2, comprising an alarm device configured to emit the primary alarm at a first frequency and the secondary alarm at a second frequency when an alarm condition is recognized, the second frequency increasing if the alarm acknowledgement mechanism is not activated prior to a designated event.

4. The system of claim 2, comprising an alarm device configured to increase a magnitude of the secondary alarm if the alarm acknowledgement mechanism is not activated prior to a designated event.

5. The system of claim 2, comprising an alarm device configured to increase magnitudes of the primary and secondary alarms if the alarm acknowledgement mechanism is not activated prior to a designated event.

6. The system of claim 5, comprising a timer configured to count down a designated amount of time, wherein completion of the count down is the designated event.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a sensor configured to gather actual physiological data from a patient.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of speakers is a component of a pager.

9. A patient monitor, comprising:

an alarm detection device configured to measure physiological data received via a patient monitor, the alarm detection device configured to initiate an alarm in response to predefined measurements of the physiological data; and

an alarm device configured to emit a first signal with a first property and a second signal with a second property, the first signal being emitted when the alarm is initiated, the second signal being emitted if an alarm acknowledgement mechanism is not activated prior to a designated event.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first and second signals are different audible tones and the first and second properties are different frequencies.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the alarm device includes a pager.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second signals includes a vibration.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first property or the second property is manipulated if the alarm acknowledgement mechanism is not activated within a define amount of time.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the alarm device includes a plurality of speakers.

15. A method for facilitating clinical vigilance, comprising:

receiving physiological data from a patient;

measuring the physiological data and initiating an alarm in response to predefined measurements of the physiological data; and

emanating a first signal with a first property and a second signal with a second property when the alarm is initiated.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising changing the second property if an alarm acknowledgement mechanism is not activated prior to a designated event.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising emanating the first and second signals from a speaker as different audible tones.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising emanating the first signal from a first speaker and emanating the second signal from a second speaker.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising emanating the first and second signals from a pager as different vibrations.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second properties are different frequencies.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second properties are different volumes.

22. A monitor configured to receive physiological data from a patient, the monitor comprising:

an alarm detection device configured to measure the physiological data and initiate an alarm in response to predefined measurements of the physiological data; and

at least two speakers.

23. The monitor of claim 22, wherein the at least two speakers are configured to emanate an escalating audible signal after initiation of the alarm.

24. The monitor of claim 22, wherein a first speaker is configured to emit a tone when an alarm condition is first detected and a second speaker is configured to remain silent for a designated amount of time after the alarm condition is detected.

25. The monitor of claim 22, wherein a first speaker is configured to emit a first audible sound and a second speaker is configured to emanate a second audible sound different from the first audible sound

26. The monitor of claim 22, wherein a first speaker is configured to emit and maintain a first audible sound while an alarm condition is present and unacknowledged, and wherein a second speaker is configured to emanate a second audible sound that escalates over time while the alarm condition is present and unacknowledged.