Method and system for giving remote emergency medical counsel to arrest patients

• US 6,053,864 A
• Filed: 03/28/1997
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey J. Clawson
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey J. Clawson
• Inventors: Clawson, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US08/829,468
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 128/920, 128/923, 128/924, 128/903, 128/904, 128/905, 600/408, 600/300, 364/922, 364/922.2, 364/922.3, 364/922.4
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A method and system for providing emergency medical counseling to arrest 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 arrest 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 arrest 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 arrest patients, thereby providing the "zero time" response by utilizing those at the scene of the arrest emergency.

Claims

1. A method for giving remote emergency medical direction to a dispatcher for patients suffering from distress, comprising the steps of:

(A) providing instructions to an emergency medical dispatcher, including one or more instructions to inquire for specific information, including inquiring if the patient has a pulse and inquiring if the patient can breath normally, receiving response information, and to use said response information to calculate a degree of criticality, informing said emergency medical dispatcher of an appropriate response for dispatch to the patient based on said calculated degree of criticality and dispatching to the patient;

(B) inquiring if the patient has a pulse;

(C) instructing that_-- if unsure, to test again if the patient has a pulse;

(D) instructing on_-- performing CPR;

(E) inquiring if the patient is breathing normally now;

(F) instructing that if unsure if the patient is breathing normally now, reassuring and continuing CPR; and

(G) giving remote emergency counsel based upon said inquiries.

2. A system for managing the process of responding to a patient suffering from distress, the system comprising:

(A) a set of instructions, stored on a permanent medium, for use by an emergency medical dispatcher, including instructions to inquire for specific information, including inquiring if the patient has a pulse and inquiring if the patient can breath normally, to receive response information, and to use said response information to calculate a degree of criticality, a means for informing said emergency medical dispatcher of an appropriate emergency medical response for dispatch to the patient based upon said calculated degree of criticality;

said stored instructions further comprising;

(B) a first inquiry as to whether the patient has a pulse;

(C) if pulse is uncertain, a second inquiry as to whether the patient has a pulse;

(D) an instruction on performing CPR;

(E) a third inquiry as to whether the patient is breathing normally now; and

(F) if unsure if the patient is breathing normally now, an instruction to reassure and continue CPR.

3. A method for managing the process for responding to an emergency medical call relating to a patient in distress by using 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;

(A1) displaying on said display device instructions to an emergency medical dispatcher, including instructions to inquire for specific information, said specific information including whether the patient has a pulse and whether the patient can breath normally,

(A2) receiving into said general purpose computer, using said input device, responses to said inquiries,

(A3) processing in said general purpose computer said input responses,

(A4) computing a degree of criticality, and

(A5) informing said emergency medical dispatcher of an appropriate response for dispatch to the patient based on said calculated degree of criticality and dispatching to the patient;

(B) receiving on said input device data indicating whether the patient has a pulse;

(C) displaying on said display device an instruction that if uncertain whether the patient has a pulse, to test again if the patient has a pulse;

(D) displaying on said display device an instruction on performing CPR;

(E) displaying on said display device in instruction on testing if the patient is breathing normally after said step of performing CPR;

(F) displaying on said display device an instruction that if unsure whether the patient is breathing normally after said testing step, to reassure and to continue CPR; and

(G) computing a determinant value for identifying an appropriate emergency medical response for dispatch to the patient based on whether the patient is breathing and has a pulse and dispatching said appropriate emergency medical response to the patient.