Distributive processing simulation method and system for training healthcare teams

• US 6,918,771 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mentice AB
• Original Assignee: Medical Simulation Corporation
• Inventors: Gao, Qiang, Clark, Bill B., Arington, Michael L., Bailey, Bradford E., Yuanming, Chen, Younkes, William E., Wilson, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Harris, Chanda L.
• Application Number:
  US10/778,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20040161731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 434/219, 434/262, 434/265, 434266-268, 434/272
• US Class Current: 434/262
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/285 for injections, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, sigmoidscopy, insertion of contraceptive devices or enemas
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

A simulation method and system based on a distributive processing model is used for training and educating healthcare teams. The system allows team members to be at the training facility or located remotely and connected via data communication links. The system allows multiple participants for individual team member roles at various connected simulation workstations. If simulation participants cannot man all the team roles, the system can provide virtual team members in their stead. The simulation server computer delivers to each workstation the particular programs and outputs required for any given simulation exercise.

Claims

1. A method for training a medical team in the performance of a plurality of medical procedures utilizing a physical artificial patient, the method comprising:

(a) running on a simulation server computer at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient;

(b) accessing by said simulation server computer a predetermined data from a knowledge repository connectable to said simulation server computer relating to said at least one simulation of said at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient;

(c) notifying, by said simulation server computer, a plurality of computers controlling a plurality of workstations of at least one program that each of said plurality of computers is to run, and where to find a portion of said predetermined data in said knowledge repository associated with each of said at least one program, for said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient;

(d) launching said at least one program on each of said plurality of computers;

(e) acquiring, by each of said plurality of computers controlling said plurality of workstations, said portion of said predetermined data from said knowledge repository; and

(f) replacing at least one medical team member, by said simulation server computer, with a virtual team member for the duration of said at least one simulation of said at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient when said at least one medical team member strays too far in their responses during said at least one simulation of said at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

not acquiring said portion of said predetermined data by at least one of said plurality of computers controlling said plurality of workstations when said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure being run on said simulation server computer does not require said at least one of said plurality of workstations.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

storing in said knowledge repository a plurality of metrics received from at least one of said plurality of workstations during said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said plurality of metrics are raw data comprising at least one of a time measurement, an amount of substance used measurement, an amount of radiation exposure, a medical team member action, an event, and a test score from a didactic test.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

displaying on at least one monitor of at least one of said plurality of workstations an image data from said portion of said predetermined data.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said image data comprises a virtual person, wherein said virtual person provides audio and visual information regarding said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein said image data comprises a combination of a plurality of medical images taken of a real patient relating to said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient, wherein said plurality of medical images are displayed in a background of said at least one monitor, and further wherein said image data comprises a representation of a medical instrument being applied to a simulation device associated with the physical artificial patient, wherein said representation of a medical instrument is displayed in a foreground of said at least one monitor.

8. A method according to claim 5 further comprising:

receiving, in said simulation server computer, inputs from said at least one medical team member from at least one of said plurality of workstations based on interaction by said at least one medical team member with said at least one of said plurality of workstations.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising:

evaluating said inputs from said at least one medical team member in said simulation server computer; and

displaying on said at least one monitor responses based on said evaluation of said inputs from said at least one medical team member related to said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient.

10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising:

evaluating said inputs from said at least one medical team member to determine if said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient can continue;

if said evaluating step determines that said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient can continue, repeating said displaying step, said receiving step, and said evaluating step; and

otherwise, generating at least one performance evaluation report for the medical team and generating at least one performance evaluation report for said at least one medical team member.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said at least one performance evaluation report for the medical team and said at least one performance evaluation report for said at least one medical team member comprises at least one of a medical procedure performance evaluation, a knowledge evaluation, a cognitive skills evaluation, and a documentation of performance.

12. A method according to claim 10 further comprising:

evaluating said inputs from said at least one medical team member to determine if said at least one medical team member can continue participating in said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient;

if said evaluating step determines that said at least one medical team member can continue participating in said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient, repeating said displaying step, said receiving step, and said evaluating step; and

otherwise, removing said at least one medical team member from said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient.

13. A method according to claim 8 further comprising:

displaying a random expression of data related to said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient but not in response to said inputs from said at least one medical team member.

14. A simulation system for training a medical team in the performance of a plurality of medical procedures utilizing a physical artificial patient, the simulation system comprising:

a simulation server computer for running at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient;

a plurality of workstations connectable to said simulation server computer for use in said at least one simulation of said at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient;

a plurality of computers controlling said plurality of workstations;

a knowledge repository, connectable to said simulation server computer, having a predetermined data relating to said at least one simulation of said at least one medical procedure; and

a virtual team member software module, resident on said simulation server computer;

wherein said simulation server computer accesses said predetermined data and notifies said plurality of computers of at least one program each of said plurality of computers is to run, and where to find a portion of said predetermined data in said knowledge repository associated with each of said at least one program, and further wherein said at least one program is launched on each of said plurality of computers, and each of said plurality of computers acquires said portion of said predetermined data from said knowledge repository for said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient, and said virtual team member software module replaces at least one medical team member when said at least one medical team member strays too far in their responses during said at least one simulation of said at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient.

15. The simulation system according to claim 14 wherein said at least one of said plurality of computers controlling said plurality of workstations does not acquire said portion of said predetermined data when said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure being run on said simulation server computer does not require said at least one of said plurality of workstations.

16. The simulation system according to claim 14 wherein said simulation server computer further comprises:

a metric software module for recording a plurality of metrics received from at least one of said plurality of workstations during said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient.

17. The simulation system according to claim 16 wherein said plurality of metrics are raw data comprising at least one of a time measurement, an amount of substance used measurement, an amount of radiation exposure, a medical team member action, an event, and a test score from a didactic test.

18. The simulation system according to claim 14 wherein said plurality of workstations further comprise:

at least one monitor of at least one of said plurality of workstations for displaying an image data from said portion of said predetermined data.

19. The simulation system according to claim 18 wherein said knowledge repository further comprises:

a patient models software module for providing representations of portions of a simulated patient relating to said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient for display on said at least one monitor;

a video models software module for providing a plurality of medical images taken of a real patient relating to said at least one simulation of said at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient for display on said at least one monitor;

an audio models software module for providing a plurality of audio recordings relating to said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient for audio output from at least one of said plurality of workstations; and

a simulation models software module for providing a plurality of medical instrument representations, wherein one of said plurality of medical instrument representations corresponds to said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient;

wherein said image data comprises a combination of said plurality of medical images displayed in a background of said at least one monitor, and said one of said plurality of medical instrument representations displayed in a foreground of said at least one monitor.

20. The simulation system according to claim 14 wherein said knowledge repository further comprises:

a text documents software module, wherein said virtual team member software module accesses on-the-fly at least one text file from said text documents software module, synthesizes said text file into audio speech, and synchronizes said audio speech with said display of said at least one simulated participant.

21. The simulation system according to claim 14 wherein said simulation server computer further comprises:

a mentor software module for providing at least one animated mentor, wherein said at least one animated mentor provides audio and visual output to the medical team at various times through said at least one monitor during said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient.

22. The simulation system according to claim 21 wherein said knowledge repository further comprises:

a text documents software module, wherein said mentor software module accesses on-the-fly at least one text file from said text documents software module, synthesizes said text file into audio speech, and synchronizes said audio speech with said display of said at least one animated mentor.

23. The simulation system according to claim 14 wherein said plurality of workstations comprises at least one of a drug dispenser control workstation, a physician workstation, a nurse control workstation, and a physician/assistant control workstation.

24. The simulation system according to claim 14 wherein said at least one medical team member of the medical team participates in said at least one simulation of at least one medical procedure utilizing the physical artificial patient from a remote location via a communications network.