Optimization Of Patient Alarm Settings For Monitoring Devices Utilizing Analytics

• US 20170000424A1
• Filed: 06/30/2015
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Palmer, Michael John, Friedman, Bruce Arnold, Treacy, Stephen Thomas, Sitzman, David Alan
• Granted Patent: US 9,943,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0535 Impedance plethysmography for measuring blood flow A61B5/0295
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• 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

A monitoring device operable to provide information on data obtained from sensors operably connected between a patient and the device is provided that includes a central processing unit configured to receive incoming data signals from sensors concerning physiological parameters of the patient to compare the incoming data signals to predetermined alarm limits for the physiological parameters to determine an alarm condition and an analytics engine operably connected to the central processing unit and selectively operable to provide predictions of adverse events using the incoming data signals. The central processing unit is configured to alter the alarm limits for at least one of the physiological parameters in response to the activation of the analytics engine to reduce clinically irrelevant alarms.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing the alarm limit settings of a monitoring device operable to provide information on data obtained from sensors operably connected to the device, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing the device including a central processing unit configured to receive incoming data signals from a first sensor concerning a first physiological parameter and from a second sensor concerning a second physiological parameter and to compare the incoming data signals to predetermined alarm limits for the first and second physiological parameters to determine an alarm condition, and an analytics engine operably connected to the central processing unit and selectively operable to provide predictions of adverse events using the incoming data signals;

b) activating the analytics engine; and

c) altering the alarm limits for at least one of the first or second physiological parameters in response to the activation of the analytics engine.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of altering the alarm limits is performed automatically by the device upon activation of the analytics engine.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of altering the alarm limits comprises:

a) prompting for an input for a modification to an alarm limit for at least one of the first or second physiological parameters; and

b) modifying the alarm limit in response to the input.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of altering the alarm limits comprises adding a time delay to triggering the alarm limits for at least one of the first and second physiological parameters.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of altering the alarm limits comprises adding a time delay to triggering the alarm limits for the first and second physiological parameters.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first physiological parameter is peripheral oxygen saturation and the second physiological parameter is respiration rate.

2. The method of claim I wherein the step of altering the alarm limits comprises lowering the alarm limits for at least one of the first and second physiological parameters.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of altering the alarm limits comprises lowering the alarm limits for the first and second physiological parameters.

8. The method of claim I wherein the step of altering the alarm limits comprises associating the alarm limits for the first and second physiological parameters with one another to form a combined alarm limit that is triggered when the alarm limits for the first and second physiological parameters are exceeded.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of associating the alarm limits for the first and second physiological parameters with one another to form a combined alarm limit comprises adding a time delay to the combined alarm limit.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of adding the time delay to the combined alarm limit comprises adding a time delay to the alarm limit for at least one of the first and second physiological parameters.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the time delay added to the alarm limit for the first physiological parameter is different than the time delay added to the alarm limit for the second physiological parameter.

13. A monitoring device operable to provide information on data obtained from sensors operably connected between a patient and the device, the device comprising:

a) a central processing unit configured to receive incoming data signals from a first sensor concerning a first physiological parameter of the patient and from a second sensor concerning a second physiological parameter of the patient and to compare the incoming data signals to predetermined alarm limits for the first and second physiological parameters to determine an alarm condition; and

b) an analytics engine operably connected to the central processing unit and selectively operable to provide predictions of adverse events using the incoming data signals, wherein the central processing unit is configured to alter the alarm limits for at least one of the first and second physiological parameters in response to the activation of the analytics engine.

14. The monitoring device of claim 13 wherein the central processing unit is configured to alter the value of the alarm limit for at least one of the first and second physiological parameters in response to the activation of the analytics engine.

15. The monitoring device of claim 13 wherein the central processing unit is configured to alter a time delay for the alarm limit for at least one of the first and second physiological parameters in response to the activation of the analytics engine.

16. The monitoring device of claim 13 wherein the central processing unit is configured to automatically alter the alarm limit for at least one of the first and second physiological parameters in response to the activation of the analytics engine.

17. The monitoring device of claim 13 wherein the central processing unit is configured to prompt an operator to confirm the alteration the alarm limit for at least one of the first and second physiological parameters in response to the activation of the analytics engine.

18. The monitoring device of claim 13 wherein the central processing unit is configured to alter the alarm limits the first or second physiological parameters in response to the activation of the analytics engine.

19. A medical monitoring device for providing information about a patient operably connected to the device, the device comprising:

a) an electronic storage medium in which values for alarm limits for a number of physiological parameters to be monitored are stored;

b) a central processing unit operably connected to the electronic storage medium and configured to receive incoming data signals concerning the parameters of the patient and to compare the incoming data signals to the alarm limits for the parameters to determine an alarm condition;

c) one or more sensors operably connected to the central processing unit and adapted to be connected to the patient to obtain and transmit the incoming data signals on the parameters to be monitored from the patient to the central processing unit;

d) an analytics engine operably connected to the central processing unit and selectively operable to provide a prediction of adverse events using the incoming data signals; and

e) a display operably connected to the central processing unit, the display including a display screen and a user interface configured to enable the selective activation of the analytics engine, wherein the central processing unit is configured to alter the alarm limit for at least one physiological parameter in response to the activation of the analytics engine.

20. The medical monitoring device of claim 19 wherein the central processing unit is configured to activate a delay time for the alarm limit in response to the activation of the analytics engine.