Systems and methods for remote patient monitoring

• US 8,773,259 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2011
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd. (Excelsior Union Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mindray DS USA Incorporated (Excelsior Union Ltd.)
• Inventors: Judy, John, Petruzzelli, Joe, Rajagopalan, Cadathur, Eaton, Scott, Kaufman, Sondra, Hebert, Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US13/253,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20120026119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/573.1, 600/301, 600/483, 600/484, 600/485, 600/504, 702/19, 705/4, 715/781, 715/791
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system includes a local patient monitor and a plurality of remote patient monitors. The local patient monitor may display a plurality of physiological parameters for a local patient. The local patient monitor may further display a remote monitoring interface with the local patient'"'"'s physiological parameters. The remote monitoring interface may include a plurality of status icons respectively representing the plurality of remote patient monitors. In one embodiment, the local patient monitor receives alarm information from a first remote patient monitor indicating that one or more physiological parameters for a remote patient are outside of a determined range. The alarm information may include, for example, location information for the remote patient and an alarm condition indicated by the one or more physiological parameters. The local patient monitor may display the alarm information within the remote monitoring interface.

Claims

1. A local patient monitoring system comprising:

a parameter acquisition unit configured to acquire one or more data signals regarding one or more physiological parameters of a patient;

a processing unit communicatively coupled with the parameter acquisition unit configured to process the one or more data signals and to generate parameter information related to the one or more physiological parameters based on the one or more data signals, the parameter information comprising a plurality of parameter waveforms and a plurality of parameter numerical values;

a memory unit communicatively coupled with the processing unit and the parameter acquisition unit configured to store the parameter information;

a communication device configured to obtain a remote monitoring status regarding each of one or more remote patient monitors; and

a display unit communicatively coupled with the processing unit, the display unit being configured to;

visually display, on the local patient monitoring system, a patient monitoring interface comprising at least one of the one or more physiological parameters; and

visually display, on the local patient monitoring system, a remote monitoring interface along with the patient monitoring interface, the remote monitoring interface comprising a plurality of status icons respectively representing the remote monitoring status of each of the one or more remote patient monitors, wherein at least one status icon indicates that display of alarm information from a corresponding remote patient monitor cannot be blocked at the local patient monitor except by a person with particular access rights.

2. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physiological parameters comprise one or more of a patient pulse rate, temperature, respiration rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen level, and electrocardiogram.

3. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one status icon further indicates that an active connection exists between the local patient monitor and a corresponding remote patient monitor.

4. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one status icon further indicates that alarm information is being blocked by a corresponding remote patient monitor.

5. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the display unit is further configured to visually display at least one secondary application in a region of the patient parameter interface.

6. A method comprising:

acquiring, by a parameter acquisition unit of a local patient monitor, one or more data signals regarding one or more physiological parameters of a patient local to the local patient monitor;

generating, by a processing unit, parameter information relating to the one or more physiological parameters based on the one or more data signals, the parameter information comprising a plurality of parameter waveforms and a plurality of parameter numerical values;

storing, in a memory unit, the parameter information;

obtaining a remote monitoring status from each of one or more remote patient monitors;

displaying, on the local patient monitoring system, a patient monitoring interface comprising at least one of the one or more physiological parameters; and

displaying, on the local patient monitoring system, a remote monitoring interface along with the patient monitoring interface, the remote monitoring interface comprising a plurality of status icons respectively representing the remote monitoring status of each of the one or more remote patient monitors, wherein at least one status icon indicates that display of alarm information from a corresponding remote patient monitor cannot be blocked at the local patient monitor except by a person with particular access rights.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one status icon further indicates that no signal is being received by a corresponding remote patient monitor.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying within the remote monitoring interface an indication of whether alarm information from the local patient monitor is being sent to one or more remote patient monitors;

displaying a remote monitoring configuration interface, the remote monitoring configuration interface allowing a medical practitioner to add or remove a specific remote patient monitor to be represented within the remote monitoring interface; and

restricting a medical practitioner from adding or removing a specific remote patient monitor based on access rights.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises displaying within the remote monitoring interface an indication of whether alarm information from the local patient monitor is being sent to one or more remote patient monitors.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying a remote monitoring configuration interface, the remote monitoring configuration interface allowing a medical practitioner to add or remove a specific remote patient monitor to be represented within the remote monitoring interface.

11. The patient monitoring system of claim 10, further comprising restricting a medical practitioner from adding or removing a specific remote patient monitor based on access rights.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving one or more data signals from one or more local sensors regarding one or more physiological parameters of a local patient;

generating parameter information relating to the one or more physiological parameters based on the one or more data signals, the parameter information comprising a plurality of parameter waveforms and a plurality of parameter numerical values;

storing the parameter information in a memory unit; and

obtaining a remote monitoring status from each of one or more remote patient monitors; and

controlling a display unit to;

display, on the local patient monitor, a patient monitoring interface comprising at least one of the one or more physiological parameters; and

display, on the local patient monitoring system, a remote monitoring interface along with the patient monitoring interface, the remote monitoring interface comprising a plurality of status icons respectively representing the remote monitoring status of each of the one or more remote patient monitors, wherein at least one status icon indicates that display of alarm information from a corresponding remote patient monitor cannot be blocked at the local patient monitor except by a person with particular access rights.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one status icon further indicates that an active connection exists between the local patient monitor and a corresponding remote patient monitor, but alarm information is being blocked by the corresponding remote patient monitor.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one status icon further indicates that an active connection exists between the local patient monitor and a corresponding remote patient monitor.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one status icon further indicates that an active connection exists between the local patient monitor and a corresponding remote patient monitor and that alarm information is being blocked by the corresponding remote patient monitor.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one remote monitoring status further indicates no signal is being received by a corresponding remote patient monitor and that alarm information is being blocked by the corresponding remote patient monitor.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one remote monitoring status further indicates no signal is being received by a corresponding remote patient monitor.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one remote monitoring status further indicates no signal is being received by a corresponding remote patient monitor and that alarm information is being blocked by the corresponding remote patient monitor.