Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene using patient monitoring

• US 20090140851A1
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Vezza, Brian, Graves, Alan, Fitchett, Jeffrey, Beaulieu, Laurence
• Granted Patent: US 8,054,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.120
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/01 Emergency care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, such as an accident site, a natural or human-made disaster site, or any other first response site. One system comprises a portable patient module to be associated with a patient at the incident scene and configured to transmit wireless signals. The system also comprises a processing system comprising at least one receiver to receive the wireless signals and a processing entity configured to process data derived from the wireless signals to determine an action to be performed with respect to the patient, such as transmission of a message conveying information regarding the patient to a first responder at the incident scene, establishment of communication between a first responder at the incident scene and a clinician remote from the incident scene to discuss the patient, or transmission of a message to initiate preparation of resources at a healthcare facility remote from the incident scene for arrival of the patient.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, said system comprising:

a portable patient module to be associated with a patient at the incident scene and configured to transmit wireless signals; and

a processing system comprising;

at least one receiver to receive the wireless signals; and

a processing entity configured to process data derived from the wireless signals to determine an action to be performed with respect to the patient.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless signals comprise a wireless signal allowing a location of the patient to be determined, and the data derived from the wireless signals comprises data indicative of the location of the patient.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable patient module comprises at least one physiological sensor for sensing at least one physiological parameter of the patient, and the data derived from the wireless signals comprises data indicative of the at least one physiological parameter of the patient.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one physiological parameter of the patient comprises at least one of:

a heart rate, a blood pressure;

a body temperature;

an oxygenation level;

a breathing rate; and

a toxin level of the patient.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable patient module comprises at least one physical sensor for sensing at least one physical parameter or activity at the incident scene, and the data derived from the wireless signals comprises data indicative of the at least one physical parameter or activity.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

a temperature/heat sensor;

a pressure sensor;

a chemical sensor;

a mass/weight sensor;

a vibration sensor;

a movement sensor;

a sound sensor;

a visible light sensor;

an infrared light sensor;

an RF sensor;

a hard radiation sensor;

a toxin sensor;

a camera;

a liquid sensor; and

a gas/vapor sensor.

7. A system as claim in claim 1, wherein the action comprises transmission of a message to a first responder at the incident scene, the message conveying information regarding the patient.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the information regarding the patient comprises at least one of:

information regarding treatment to be administered to the patient;

information regarding transportation of the patient to a healthcare facility;

information contained in an electronic healthcare record of the patient; and

instructions to move the patient to a different location at the incident scene.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action comprises establishment of communication between a first responder at the incident scene and a clinician remote from the incident scene to discuss the patient.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action comprises transmission of a message to initiate preparation of resources at a healthcare facility remote from the incident scene for arrival of the patient.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action comprises creation of an association between the patient and a first responder at the incident scene.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, to determine the action to be performed with respect to the patient, said processing entity is configured to process data obtained from an institutional information system of a healthcare facility.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data obtained from the institutional information system of the healthcare facility comprises at least one of:

a policy;

a guideline;

a procedure;

a lists of entities;

a patient medical status;

patient test data;

patient schedule data;

patient-clinician association data;

EHR data;

ENR data;

EPR data;

ordered patient treatment data;

diagnosis data;

prognosis data;

a list of staff skills; and

a duty roster.

14. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data obtained from the institutional information system of the healthcare facility comprises information contained in an electronic healthcare record associated with the patient.

15. A method for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, said method comprising:

receiving wireless signals transmitted by a portable patient module associated with a patient at the incident scene; and

processing data derived from the wireless signals to determine an action to be performed with respect to the patient.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the wireless signals comprise a wireless signal allowing a location of the patient to be determined, and the data derived from the wireless signals comprises data indicative of the location of the patient.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the portable patient module comprises at least one physiological sensor for sensing at least one physiological parameter of the patient, and the data derived from the wireless signals comprises data indicative of the at least one physiological parameter of the patient.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the at least one physiological parameter of the patient comprises at least one of:

a heart rate, a blood pressure;

a body temperature;

an oxygenation level;

a breathing rate; and

a toxin level of the patient.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the portable patient module comprises at least one physical sensor for sensing at least one physical parameter or activity at the incident scene, and the data derived from the wireless signals comprises data indicative of the at least one physical parameter or activity.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

a temperature/heat sensor;

a pressure sensor;

a chemical sensor;

a mass/weight sensor;

a vibration sensor;

a movement sensor;

a sound sensor;

a visible light sensor;

an infrared light sensor;

an RF sensor;

a hard radiation sensor;

a toxin sensor;

a camera;

a liquid sensor; and

a gas/vapor sensor.

21. A method as claim in claim 15, wherein the action comprises transmission of a message to a first responder at the incident scene, the message conveying information regarding the patient.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the information regarding the patient comprises at least one of:

information regarding treatment to be administered to the patient;

information regarding transportation of the patient to a healthcare facility;

information contained in an electronic healthcare record of the patient; and

instructions to move the patient to a different location at the incident scene.

23. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the action comprises establishment of communication between a first responder at the incident scene and a clinician remote from the incident scene to discuss the patient.

24. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the action comprises transmission of a message to initiate preparation of resources at a healthcare facility remote from the incident scene for arrival of the patient.

25. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the action comprises creation of an association between the patient and a first responder at the incident scene.

26. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein, to determine the action to be performed with respect to the patient, said processing comprises processing data obtained from an institutional information system of a healthcare facility.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the data obtained from the institutional information system of the healthcare facility comprises at least one of:

a policy;

a guideline;

a procedure;

a lists of entities;

a patient medical status;

patient test data;

patient schedule data;

patient-clinician association data;

EHR data;

EMR data;

EPR data;

ordered patient treatment data;

diagnosis data;

prognosis data;

a list of staff skills; and

a duty roster.

28. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the data obtained from the institutional information system of the healthcare facility comprises information contained in an electronic healthcare record associated with the patient.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the action comprises transmission of a message to a first responder at the incident scene, the message conveying information regarding medical treatment to be administered to the patient based on the electronic healthcare record associated with the patient.

30. Computer-readable media containing computer-readable program code executable by a computing apparatus to implement a process for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, said computer-readable program code comprising:

first program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to receipt of data derived from wireless signals transmitted by a portable patient module associated with a patient at the incident scene; and

second program code for causing the computing apparatus to process the data derived from the wireless signals to determine an action to be performed with respect to the patient.