Reducing medical error

• US 9,111,435 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SNIF Labs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SNIF Labs Incorporated
• Inventors: Gips, Jonathan Peter, Liang, Philip Angus, Aylward, Ryan Patrick, Valade, Aaron Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Michelle L
• Application Number:
  US12/756,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system for reducing medical error may comprise receiving an enter signal including an enter status when a first worker device enters a zone. An exit signal including an exit status may be received when the first worker device exits the zone. Moreover an action signal including an action status may be received if an action device is actuated.

Claims

1. A method for reducing medical error comprising:

receiving an enter signal including an enter status using a first worker device entering a zone, the first worker device being a body-worn device worn by a human, the enter signal received by the first worker device;

receiving an exit signal including an exit status using the first worker device exiting an additional zone including an area around the zone, the exit signal received by the first worker device; and

receiving an action signal including an action status using the first worker device in response to an action device is actuated, the action signal received by the first worker device,

wherein the enter signal has a strength of at least an entrance threshold signal strength associated with the zone, and the exit signal has a strength less than or equal to the entrance threshold signal strength but greater than or equal an exit threshold signal strength associated with the additional zone.

2. A method for reducing medical error comprising:

receiving an enter signal including an enter status using a first worker device entering a zone, the first worker device being a body-worn device worn by a human;

receiving an exit signal using the first worker device exiting an additional zone including an area around the zone; and

receiving an action signal including an action status using the first worker device in response to an action device is actuated,

wherein the enter signal has a strength of at least an entrance threshold signal strength associated with the zone, and the exit signal has a strength less than or equal to the entrance threshold signal strength but greater than or equal an exit threshold signal strength associated with the additional zone.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining the presence of at least one of a compliance opportunity and a compliance action using the first worker device, based upon, at least in part, at least one of the enter status, the exit status, and the action status.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

sending at least one of the enter status, the exit status, and the action status from the first worker device to a server computer.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

calculating a proximity between the first worker device and a second worker device being another body-worn device worn by another human; and

determining the zone based upon, at least in part, the proximity.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

calculating an adherence rate based upon, at least m part, the at least one compliance opportunity and compliance action.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of the enter status, the exit status, and the action status include at least one of a date and time, a zone identification, an action device identification, and a compliance device identification.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of the compliance opportunity and compliance action are determined based upon, at least one of the date and time, the zone identification, the action device identification, and the compliance device identification.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

aggregating a plurality of enter statuses, exit statuses, and action statuses into a time-based sequence of events;

running the sequence through at least one predefined rule;

determining the presence of at least one of a compliance opportunity and compliance action based upon, at least in part, the sequence and the at least one predefined rule; and

calculating an adherence rate based upon, at least in part, the at least one compliance opportunity and compliance action.

10. An apparatus for reducing medical error comprising:

a first worker device being a body-worn device configured to be worn by a human and receive an enter signal including an enter status when the first worker device enters a zone, an exit signal including an exit status when the first worker device exits an additional zone including an area around the zone, and an action signal including an action status if an action device is actuated, wherein the enter signal has a strength of at least an entrance threshold signal strength associated with the zone, and the exit signal has a strength less than or equal to the entrance threshold signal strength but greater than or equal an exit threshold signal strength associated with the additional zone.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first worker device is further configured to determine the presence of at least one of a compliance opportunity and a compliance action, based upon, at least in part, at least one of the enter status, the exit status, and the action status.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first worker device is further configured to:

send at least one of the enter status, the exit status, and the action status to a server computer.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first worker device is further configured to:

calculate a proximity between the first worker device and a second worker device being another body-worn device configured to be worn by another human; and

determine the zone based upon, at least in part, the proximity.

14. A system for reducing medical error comprising:

a first worker device being a body-worn device configured to be worn by a human and receive;

an enter signal including an enter status when the first worker device enters a zone;

an exit signal including an exit status when the first worker device exits an additional zone including an area around the zone; and

an action signal including an action status if an action device is actuated; and

the action device configured to transmit the action signal including the action status if the action device is actuated,

wherein the enter signal has a strength of at least an entrance threshold signal strength associated with the zone, and the exit signal has a strength less than or equal to the entrance threshold signal strength but greater than or equal an exit threshold signal strength associated with the additional zone.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a compliance device configured to;

transmit the enter signal including the enter status when the first worker device enters the zone; and

transmit the exit signal including the exit status when the first worker device exits the zone.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a server computer configured to receive at least one of the enter status, the exit status, and the action status.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first worker device is further configured to determine the presence of at least one of a compliance opportunity and a compliance action, based upon, at least in part, at least one of the enter status, the exit status, and the action status.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of the first worker device, the action device, compliance device, and the server computer are configured to calculate an adherence rate based upon, at least in part, the at least one compliance opportunity and compliance action.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one of the first worker device and the compliance device are further configured to:

calculate a proximity between the first worker device and the compliance device; and

determine the zone based upon, at least in part, the proximity.

20. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a second worker device being another body-worn device configured to be worn by another human, and wherein at least one of the first worker device and the second worker device is further configured to;

calculate a proximity between the first worker device and the second worker device; and

determine the zone based upon, at least in part, the proximity.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the enter status, the exit status, and the action status include at least one of a date and time, a zone identification, an action device identification, and a compliance device identification.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein at least one of the first worker device, the action device, compliance device, and the server computer are configured to:

aggregate a plurality of enter statuses, exit statuses, and action statuses into a time-based sequence of events;

run the sequence through at least one predefined rule;

determine the presence of the at least one of a compliance opportunity and compliance action based upon, at least in part, the sequence and the at least one predefined rule; and

calculate an adherence rate based upon, at least in part, the at least one compliance opportunity and compliance action.

23. A hand hygiene system for reducing medical error comprising:

a beacon device configured to be in a patient zone and transmit;

an enter signal including an enter status when a body-worn device enters the patient zone; and

an exit signal including an exit status when the body-worn device exits an additional zone including an area around the patient zone;

a dispense device configured to transmit a dispense signal including a dispense status if the dispense device is actuated; and

the body-worn device configured to be worn by a human, receive the enter signal, the exit signal, and the dispense signal, and determine the presence of a compliance opportunity and a compliance action based upon the enter status, the exit status, and the action status, wherein the enter signal has a strength of at least an entrance threshold signal strength associated with the patient zone, and the exit signal has a strength less than or equal to the entrance threshold signal strength but greater than or equal an exit threshold signal strength associated with the additional zone.

24. A method for reducing medical error comprising:

detecting an enter event when a monitoring device receives an enter signal with at least an entrance threshold signal strength associated with a zone, the monitoring device being a body-worn device configured to be worn by a human;

setting a timer associated with the zone;

resetting the timer when the monitoring device receives a signal with a signal strength less than or equal to the entrance threshold signal strength but greater than or equal to an exit threshold signal strength, the exit threshold signal strength lower than the entrance threshold signal strength;

if an action device is actuated, detecting an action event when the monitoring device receives an action signal with at least an action threshold signal strength; and

detecting an exit event when the timer expires.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

determining the presence of at least one of a compliance opportunity and a compliance action using the monitoring device, based upon, at least in part, at least one of the enter event, the exit event, and the action event.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

calculating an adherence rate based upon, at least in part, the at least one compliance opportunity and compliance action.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the compliance opportunity is determined based upon, at least in part, a probability of contact.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the probability of contact is retrieved from a lookup table.