System and method of workflow management

• US 9,220,463 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Grubis, Matthew George
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US14/066,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20150119651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.45, 340/539.12, 600/301, 600/300, 128/920
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 : Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 : with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3327 : Measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 : Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 : using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3987 : characterised by the timing or triggering of the shock
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 : relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 : for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Wireless systems and methods include a plurality of peripheral electronic devices each having a wireless communication system. A processor is configured to establish an association confidence level indicative of a likelihood that a peripheral electronic device is associated to a monitored subject for each peripheral electronic device based on association criteria. Indicators are configured to communicate the association the association confidence level.

Claims

1. A wireless system monitoring a subject comprising:

a plurality of peripheral electronic devices each having a sensor and a wireless communication system;

a hub having a wireless communication system, the hub in wireless communication with the peripheral electronic devices;

a processor receives data from each of the sensors through the hub, and establishes an association confidence level for each peripheral electronic device based upon at least one association criteria for the data from each of the sensors, the association confidence level for each peripheral electronic device being indicative of the likelihood that a peripheral electronic device of the plurality is associated to the monitored subject; and

a plurality of indicators, each indicator of the plurality configured to communicate the association confidence level for a peripheral electronic device.

2. The wireless system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripheral electronic devices are each configured to measure a physiological parameter with the sensor, and the monitored subject is a patient.

3. The wireless system of claim 2, wherein the association criteria may be derived from the measured physiological parameters.

4. The wireless system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of indicators comprise a visible, audible, or tactile communication system.

5. The wireless system of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of indicators comprise a light source configured to emit light at an intensity level proportional to the confidence level.

6. The wireless system of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of indicators comprise a light source configured to emit light within a first color spectrum if the confidence level is above a first threshold, emit light within a second color spectrum is the confidence level is at or below the first threshold and above a second threshold, and emit light within a third color spectrum if the confidence level is at or below the second threshold.

7. The wireless system of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of indicators comprises an alarm configured to emit an audible signal when the confidence level is below a predetermined threshold.

8. A wireless patient monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of peripheral electronic devices each having a wireless communication system and a sensor, each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices configured to be secured to a monitored patient and configured to acquire physiological data from the monitored patient;

a hub having a wireless communication system, the hub in wireless communication with the peripheral electronic devices to receive the physiological data acquired by the peripheral electronic devices;

a processor configured to register each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices to the monitored patient, configured to receive the physiological data from the hub, and configured to establish an association confidence level based upon at least the received physiological data from each peripheral electronic device for each peripheral electronic device, the association confidence level indicative of a likelihood that the physiological data acquired by the peripheral electronic device is from the monitored patient; and

a plurality of indicators, each indicator of the plurality configured to communicate the association confidence level for a peripheral electronic device.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a graphical display operated by the processor and the plurality of indicators are graphical user interface objects visually presented on the graphical display.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the association confidence levels to a predetermined threshold, and the processor initiates a response based upon the comparison.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor initiates an alarm in response to at least one association confidence level being below the predetermined threshold.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein if the association confidence level for a peripheral electronic device of the plurality is above the predetermined threshold, the processor maintains an association between the peripheral electronic device and the processor, and if the association confidence level for the peripheral electronic device of the plurality is below the predetermined threshold, the processor disassociates from the peripheral electronic device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to operate the graphical display to present automated medical guidance based upon the received physiological data if the association confidence levels are above the predetermined threshold.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

at least one automated therapeutic delivery device communicatively connected to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to operate the automated therapeutic delivery device to automatedly provide a therapy to the monitored patient based at least in part upon the received physiological data if the association confidence levels are above the predetermined threshold.

15. A method of workflow management in a wireless patient monitoring system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of peripheral electronic devices, each comprising a sensor configured to acquire physiological data from a patient and a communication system;

registering, at a processor, each of the plurality of peripheral electronic devices to a monitored patient;

receiving physiological data acquired by each of the peripheral electronic devices at the processor;

applying at least one association criteria to the physiological data to derive association criteria values;

determining an association confidence level for each of the peripheral electronic devices based at least in part upon the association criteria values;

producing a perceptible indication of the determined association confidence levels.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the perceptible indication is an indication visually presented on a graphical display.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

comparing the determined association confidence levels to at least one predetermined threshold; and

initiating an alarm if at least one of the association confidence levels falls below the predetermined threshold.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

appending the received physiological data with the association confidence level determined for the peripheral electronic device that acquired the physiological data;

storing the appended physiological data at an electronic medical record of the patient.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

generating automated medical guidance based at least in part upon the received physiological data;

comparing the determined association confidence levels to at least one predetermined threshold; and

presenting the automated medical guidance on a graphical display if all of the association confidence levels are above the predetermined threshold.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

controlling a therapeutic device based at least in part upon the received physiological data to automatedly deliver therapeutic interaction to the patient;

comparing the determined association confidence levels to at least one predetermined threshold; and

suspending the automated delivery of the therapeutic interaction if at least one association confidence level is below the at least one predetermined threshold.