Method and system for giving remote emergency medical counseling for childbirth patients

• US 5,989,187 A
• Filed: 03/28/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medical Priority Consultants, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Medical Priority Consultants, Inc.
• Inventors: Clawson, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US08/832,615
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 128/903, 128/905, 128/920, 128/923, 128/924, 128/925, 600/300, 600/481, 606/119, 606/125, 606/126, 606/127, 606/122, 606/202, 364/224.5, 364/224.6, 364/274, 364/274.1, 364/274.9, 364/275
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

A method and system for providing emergency medical counseling to childbirth patients remotely is described. A consistent, standard and systematic process is provided which in combination with adequate training, supervision and quality assurance serves to provide a method for gathering emergency medical information regarding providing emergency medical dispatch services to childbirth patients, categorizing such information into various determinant levels for appropriate response, and for giving qualified emergency medical information to callers thereby permitting "zero time" response by those at the scene. By using this invention properly a dispatcher is guided through the interrogation of callers concerned with childbirth patients, gathering critical information and giving the appropriate guidance to the caller. This invention specifically guides the dispatcher through the steps of the procedure for giving remote emergency medical counsel to childbirth patients, thereby providing the "zero time" response by utilizing those at the scene of the emergency.

Claims

1. A method for giving remote emergency medical counsel to childbirth patients, comprising the steps of:

(A) receiving a medical call on a telephone communication device regarding a childbirth patient needing medical assistance;

(B) instructing an emergency medical dispatcher to inquire from said received medical call whether said childbirth patient is pushing, whether crowning has occurred, and whether the baby when delivered is breathing;

(C) determining whether said childbirth patient is pushing;

(D) if said childbirth patient is pushing, checking for crowning, wherein said childbirth patient is examined to determine whether a part of a baby is visible;

(E) determining whether said visible part of said baby is a head, and if said visible part of said baby is a head, starting delivery and delivering said baby and checking if said baby is breathing;

(F) determining whether said visible part of said baby is not a head, and if said visible part of said baby is not a head, identifying that said baby is coming breech, and holding off delivery if possible, delivering said baby if necessary and checking if said baby is breathing;

(G) if said childbirth patient is not pushing, calming said childbirth patient and waiting and monitoring;

(H) calculating a determinate value based on whether said childbirth patient is pushing;

said crowning has occurred; and

whether said baby is breathing; and

(I) dispatching medical assistance based on said calculated determinate value to said childbirth patient.

2. A method for managing a process of responding to relate medical injuries relating to childbirth patients, the system comprising:

(A) a first inquiry, communicated over a telephone communication device, as to whether the childbirth patient is pushing;

(B) if the patient is pushing, an instruction communicated over said telephone communication device to check for crowning, wherein the childbirth patient is examined to determine whether a part of a baby is visible;

(C) if said visible part of said baby is a head, an instruction communicated over said telephone communication device instructing to start delivery and delivering said baby and checking if said baby is breathing;

(D) if said visible part of said baby is not a head, an instruction identifying that said baby is coming breech, holding off delivery if possible, delivering said baby if necessary and checking if said baby is breathing;

(E) if the patient is not pushing, calming the childbirth patient and waiting and monitoring;

(F) calculating a determinate value based on whether said childbirth patient is pushing, and whether said baby is coming breech or is coming head first; and

(G) based upon said determinate dispatching medical assistance to said childbirth patient.

3. A method for managing the process for responding to an emergency medical call relating to a childbirth patient in a general purpose computer system comprising:

a central processing unit;

dynamic memory,

static memory,

a display device,

an input device,

an output device,

a mass storage device which contains

a number of emergency medical instruction records,

a number of medical information records,

a grouping of determinant codes,

a number of emergency medical inquiry reports,

the method comprising the steps of;

(A) displaying on said display device an instruction for determining by communication over a telephone communication device if the childbirth patient is pushing;

(B) receiving to said dynamic memory by way of said input device a result of said determination of whether the childbirth patient is pushing;

(C) if said result of said determination of whether the childbirth patient is pushing indicates that the childbirth patient is pushing, displaying on said display device an instruction to check for crowning, wherein the childbirth patient is examined to determine whether a part of a baby is visible;

(D) receiving to said dynamic memory by way of said input device a result of said check for crowning;

(E) if said result of said check for crowning indicates that said visible part of said baby is a head, displaying on said display device an instruction to start delivery and once said baby is delivered displaying an instruction on said display device to check if said baby is breathing and inputting via said input device whether said baby is breathing;

(F) if said result of said check for crowning indicates that said visible part of said baby is not a head, displaying an instruction on said display device identifying that said baby is coming breech, displaying an instruction on said display device to hold off delivery if possible, and to only deliver said baby if necessary and displaying an instruction on said display device to check if said baby is breathing and inputting via said input device whether said baby is breathing;

(G) if said result of said determination of whether the childbirth patient is pushing indicates that the childbirth patient is not pushing;

displaying on said display device an instruction to calm the childbirth patient and to wait and monitor;

(H) said processor calculating a determinate value based on said received determination of whether the childbirth patient is pushing, said received check for crowning result and said baby breathing input; and

(I) based on said determinate value, displaying an instruction for dispatching medical assistance to said childbirth patient.