MOBILE MEDICAL WORKSTATION

• US 20130002420A1
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Perkins, David G., Linquest, Douglas J., Wawro, Thaddeus J., Metz, Kristin A., Soderberg, Peter H., Labosky, Bonita L., Vivenzio, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,010,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/522
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0437 Trolley or cart-type apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• 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 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• 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: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms

Abstract

A medical workstation is defined by a supporting structure having at least one medical diagnostic instrument disposed thereupon. A first display is further disposed on a first side of the supporting structure and a second display is disposed on a second side of the supporting structure in a manner substantially opposite from the first display. Each of the first and second displays are interconnected to the at least one medical diagnostic instrument to permit at least one of the displays in order to display diagnostic results and are tandemly or independently controllable.

Claims

1. An integrated apparatus for use in a patient encounter, said apparatus comprising:

at least one medical diagnostic instrument including a vital signs monitoring device for measuring various physiological parameters of a said patient, said physiological parameters including blood pressure, glucose, body temperature, pulse rate and blood oxygen saturation; and

a computing device connected to said at least one medical diagnostic instrument, wherein at least one of said computing device and said at least one medical diagnostic instrument are programmed to detect changes in a patient condition based on changes in measured two or more physiological parameters of said patient and in which said computing device is programmed to alert the user that changes in said patient condition have exceeded at least one predetermined threshold based on the changes to said two or more physiological parameters.

2. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said changes in measured parameters include a predetermined change in blood pressure for a patient having a specified range of blood pressure readings, wherein the history of readings of said patient are used by said apparatus in order to determine the specified range, and in which the specified range can include readings that extend outside that of the a standard range of acceptable readings for a patient.

3. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein an estimated accuracy of each of said two or more physiological parameters are graded by said computing device prior to alerting said user.

4. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein apparatus includes a display connected to said computing device, said computing device being programmed to display the reason for said alert.

5. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing device is programmed to trend physiological parameter data of said patient.

6. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said computing device is programmed to show a likelihood of an alert based upon trended data.

7. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the changes in said at least two physiological parameters are used in a combined manner by said computing device to predict the onset of sepsis.

8. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the programming of the predetermined thresholds is reconfigurable.

9. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the programming of the predetermined threshold is manually reconfigurable by a user.

10. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the programming of the predetermined thresholds includes the creation of newly derived thresholds made by said computing device based on accumulated historical data.

11. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 1, further including means for selectively capturing images during a patient encounter, said image capture means being connected to said computing device.

12. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing device includes a display, said apparatus being configured for displaying an image of a user logged onto said apparatus.

13. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said image capture means includes an imaging bar code scanner.

14. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said apparatus is configured to prevent unauthorized users from operating said apparatus.

15. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said computing device is programmed with stored images of authorized users and wherein said apparatus is configured to operate only after successful comparison between a captured image of a user and a stored image.

16. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said barcode scanner operates as an input device for operating said apparatus, including said medical instrument.

17. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is wirelessly connected with at least one hospital network, said network including at least one respondent device.

18. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said apparatus is wirelessly connected with at least one hospital network.

19. An integrated apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said at least one hospital network includes at least one respondent device.