System and method for providing synergistic alert condition processing in an automated patient management system

• US 7,649,449 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Fenske, Mathew, Somberg, Benjamin L., Stahmann, Jeffrey E., Foster, Dale E., Cohen, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/447,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20070279211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.12, 340/506, 340/500, 340/573.1, 705 1- 3, 600/300, 600/301
• US Class Current: 340/506
• 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 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients

Abstract

A system and method for providing synergistic alert condition processing in an automated patient management system is presented. An alert condition is classified along a continuum that includes adverse outcome potential versus medical intervention impact potential. The alert condition is managed by assigning a disposition based on relative placement of the alert condition along the continuum. An alert notification is communicated over a selectable mode of communications and is conditioned upon the assigned disposition being actionable.

Claims

1. A system for providing synergistic alert condition processing in an automated patient management system, comprising:

a server retrieving patient data from an origination source and evaluating the patient data for occurrence of an alert condition;

a classifier classifying the alert condition based on the origination source and assigning the alert condition along a continuum comprising adverse outcome potential versus medical intervention impact potential;

a manager managing the alert condition by assigning a disposition based on relative placement of the alert condition along the continuum; and

a communicator determining whether the assigned disposition is actionable and, when actionable, communicating an alert notification over a selectable mode of communications,

wherein a combined alert condition is identified by evaluating a confluence of non-actionable alert conditions and assigning the combined alert condition along the continuum.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the combined alert condition is actionable.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one supplemental factor is included in the confluence and selected from the group comprising patient history and data originating from a source other than an alert condition source.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a monitor to monitor new alert conditions based on a scheduled polling frequency.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a threshold to apply to the alert condition as a filter for actionable alert conditions; and

a severity level to assign to the alert condition.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the alert condition is escalated when the alert notification remains unaddressed for a pre-determined time period.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein each alert condition is prioritized from among a plurality of alert conditions.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic medical records database to store the alert condition prior to communicating the alert notification.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the patient data is selected from the group comprising device parameters, sensor readings, and health conditions.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the disposition is selected from the group comprising recording the alert condition, sending an informational message, sending a recommendation, sending an obligatory instruction, and taking active medical interventive measures.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the alert notification is selected from the group comprising a telephone call, telephone message, facsimile, email, and voicemail.

12. A method for providing synergistic alert condition processing in an automated patient management system, comprising:

evaluating patient data from an origination source for occurrence of an alert condition;

classifying the alert condition based on the origination source and assigning the alert condition along a continuum comprising adverse outcome potential versus medical intervention impact potential;

managing the alert condition by assigning a disposition based on relative placement of the alert condition along the continuum;

communicating an alert notification over a selectable mode of communications and conditioned upon the assigned disposition being actionable;

identifying a combined alert condition by evaluating a confluence of non-actionable alert conditions; and

assigning the combined alert condition along the continuum.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the combined alert condition is actionable.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

including at least one supplemental factor in the confluence and selected from the group comprising patient history and data originating from a source other than an alert condition source.

15. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

monitoring new alert conditions based on a scheduled polling frequency.

16. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

applying a threshold to the alert condition as a filter for actionable alert conditions; and

assigning a severity level to the alert condition.

17. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

escalating the alert condition when the alert notification remains unaddressed for a pre-determined time period.

18. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

prioritizing each alert condition from among a plurality of alert conditions.

19. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

storing the alert condition in an electronic medical records database prior to communicating the alert notification.

20. A method according to claim 12, wherein the alert condition originates from a source selected from the group comprising device parameters, sensor readings, and health conditions.

21. A method according to claim 12, wherein the disposition is selected from the group comprising recording the alert condition, sending an informational message, sending a recommendation, sending an obligatory instruction, and taking active medical interventive measures.

22. A method according to claim 12, wherein the patient data is selected from the group comprising a telephone call, telephone message, facsimile, email, and voicemail.

23. A computer-readable storage medium holding code for performing the method according to claim 12.

24. An apparatus for providing synergistic alert condition processing in an automated patient management system, comprising:

evaluating patient data from an origination source for occurrence of an alert condition;

classifying the alert condition based on the origination source and assigning the alert condition along a continuum comprising adverse outcome potential versus medical intervention impact potential;

managing the alert condition by assigning a disposition based on relative placement of the alert condition along the continuum;

communicating an alert notification over a selectable mode of communications and conditioned upon the assigned disposition being actionable;

identifying a combined alert condition by evaluating a confluence of non-actionable alert conditions; and

assigning the combined alert condition along the continuum.