Reminder System for Reducing Excess Pain Among Hospitalized Patients

• US 20100010834A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tomasz Robert Okon
• Original Assignee: Tomasz Robert Okon
• Inventors: Okon, Tomasz Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/324,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010834A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A computerized system for promoting an effective strategy for reducing excess pain in patients is provided wherein the system identifies a subset of pain symptoms to automatically generate a reminder at a nurse'"'"'s station for following up with the patient. The computerized system includes a program configured to automatically remind a caregiver to reassess a patient'"'"'s pain level and logs error reports when a caregiver fails to perform reassessments.

Claims

1. A pain management system for a nurse workstation providing a graphical user interface and a data entry device in communication with an electronic computer, the pain management system providing a program stored on and executed by the electronic computer to:

(a) receive a patient pain assessment score from a nurse associated with a patient;

(b) determine whether the pain assessment score exceeds a minimum predetermined level;

(c) when the pain assessment score exceeds the minimum predetermined level, initiate a reminder timer having a first time value exceeding a minimum clinical follow-up period; and

(d) generate a pop-up window on the graphical user interface to remind a clinician to check on the status of the patient;

wherein pop-up window is sized to block use of the graphical user interface;

wherein the program further executes to accept a signal from the data entry device allowing the nurse to close the pop-up window.

2. The pain management system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further configured to execute the program stored therein to:

(e) receive a user signal to close the pop-up window temporarily such that the pop-up window will return without initiation of the reminder timer.

3. The pain management system of claim 2, wherein the computer is configured to execute the program stored therein to:

(f) receive a new pain assessment after step (a);

(g) when the pain assessment score at step (f) exceeds the minimum predetermined level, initiate a reminder timer having a first time value exceeding a minimum clinical follow-up period and otherwise cancelling the reminder timer.

4. The pain management system of claim 3, wherein the computer is configured to execute the program stored therein to:

(g) generate an error report providing data describing caregiver delay in providing a new pain assessment after step (d).

5. The pain management system of claim 1, wherein the pop-up window provides additional data about a status of patients who currently or previously have experienced pain exceeding a minimum predetermined level.

6. The pain management system of claim 5, wherein the additional data indicates whether a caregiver has reviewed the status of the patients.

7. The pain management system of claim 5, wherein the additional data includes at least one of:

(i) a first data value indicating whether the patient'"'"'s pain status has been reviewed;

(ii) a second data value indicating whether the patient is being monitored for pain;

(iii) a third data value comprising patient identification information;

(iv) a fourth data value indicating the patient'"'"'s location;

(v) a fifth data value indicating the patient'"'"'s pain rating; and

(vi) a sixth data value indicating the patient'"'"'s previous pain rating.

8. The pain management system of claim 1, further comprising a server in communication with the electronic computer.

9. The pain management system of claim 8, wherein the program is stored on the server.

10. The pain management system of claim 8, wherein the server includes a database for storing patient records and accessible by the electronic computer.

11. The pain management system of claim 8, wherein the caregiver station computer and the server are configured to communicate wirelessly with one another.

12. The pain management system of claim 1, wherein the first time value is greater than a clinical effectiveness time of pain management.

13. A method of managing pain for a patient being monitored in a clinical setting comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a nurse'"'"'s workstation having a graphical user interface and a data entry device in communication with an electronic computer;

(b) storing and executing a stored program on the electronic computer, wherein the stored program is configured for;

(i) receiving a patient pain assessment score from a caregiver associated with the patient;

(ii) determining whether the pain assessment score exceeds a minimum predetermined level;

(iii) initiating a reminder timer when the pain assessment score exceeds the minimum predetermined level, wherein the reminder timer exceeds a minimum clinical follow up period; and

(iv) generating a pop-up window on the graphical user interface to remind the caregiver to check on a status of the patient;

wherein the pop-up window is sized to block use of the graphical user interface and wherein the pop-up window further executes to accept a signal from the data entry device thereby allowing the nurse to close the pop-up window.

14. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

(v) receiving a user signal to close the pop-up window temporarily such that the pop-up window will return without re-initiation of the reminder timer.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising a server communicating with the electronic computer and storing a patient information database thereon, wherein the patient information database is selectively accessible by the server.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the pop-up window displays additional information.

15. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

(vi) receiving a new pain assessment after step (i), wherein when the pain assessment score exceeds the minimum predetermined level, and

(vii) initiating the reminder timer having a first time value exceeding a minimum clinical follow-up period and otherwise cancelling the reminder timer.

16. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

(viii) generating an error report assessing caregiver performance in responding to severe pain within predetermined time limits.

19. The method of claim 19, wherein the additional information displayed by the pop-up window is at least one of:

(1) a first data value indicating whether the patient'"'"'s pain status has been reviewed;

(2) a second data value indicating whether the patient is being monitored for pain;

(3) a third data value comprising patient identification information;

(4) a fourth data value indicating the patient'"'"'s location;

(5) a fifth data value indicating the patient'"'"'s pain rating; and

(6) a sixth data value indicating the patient'"'"'s previous pain rating.