Automated caregiving device with prompting based on caregiver progress

• US 9,349,303 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Freeman, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gedeon, Brian T
• Application Number:
  US14/275,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20150031961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/01 Emergency care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/361 Detecting fibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4848 Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1215 with patient airway positioning devices guiding means for tracheal tubes A61M16/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/07 for the head or torso, e.g. special back-rests pillows in general A47G9/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1604 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1607 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1609 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1611 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1614 Shoulder, e.g. for neck stretching
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1616 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5058 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/065 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/405 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 31/004 Heart stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 31/005 with feedback for the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3625 External stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3987 : characterised by the timing or triggering of the shock
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 : User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/288 : for artificial respiration or heart massage
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 : with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A device for assisting a caregiver in delivering therapy to a patient, the device comprising a user interface configured to deliver prompts to a caregiver to assist the caregiver in delivering therapy to a patient; at least one sensor configured to detect the caregiver'"'"'s progress in delivering the therapy, wherein the sensor is other than an electrode in an electrical contact with the body; a memory in which a plurality of different prompts are stored; a processor configured to determine which of the different prompts should be selected for delivery based on the progress detected by the sensor.

Claims

1. A cardiac resuscitation system for assisting a caregiver in delivering electrical resuscitation therapy to a patient using disposable therapy electrodes that are stored in packaging and removed and applied to the skin of the patient'"'"'s thorax, the system comprising

a user interface configured to deliver prompts to a caregiver to assist the caregiver in delivering electrical resuscitation therapy to a patient;

at least one photoelectric sensor configured to detect the caregiver'"'"'s progress in removing a therapy electrode from its packaging and applying it to the patient;

a memory in which a plurality of different prompts are stored;

a processor configured to determine which of the different prompts should be selected for delivery based on the progress detected by the sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of photosensors configured to detect the caregiver'"'"'s progress in delivering the therapy, including at least one photosensor on each electrode.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to vary the time at which prompts are delivered based on the progress detected by the sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional sensors in electrical contact with the body and configured to detect the caregiver'"'"'s progress in delivering the therapy.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the photosensor on each electrode comprises a photoemitter/photosensor.

6. The system of claim 5 in which a reflective surface is provided on the interior of the electrode packaging in the vicinity of each of the photosensors when each electrode is in the position in which it is stored in the packaging, wherein the reflective surface reflects light emitted by the photoemitter and the reflected light is sensed by the photosensor.

7. The system of claim 6 in which the processor determines that the packaging has been opened based on an increase in sensed light.

8. The system of claim 6 in which the processor determines that an electrode has been peeled from a liner to which it was attached in the packaging by recognizing a reduction in reflected photoemitter light sensed at the photosensor.

9. The system of claim 5 in which the processor determines that the packaging has been opened based on an increase in sensed light.

10. The system of claim 5 in which the processor determines that an electrode is still in an unopened package by determining that the light level sensed by the photosensor on the electrode is below a threshold.

11. The system of claim 1 in which the photosensor and processor are configured to detect whether the electrode has been applied to clothing rather than to skin.

12. The system of claim 11 in which detection of an intermediate level of reflected photoemitter light is used by the processor to determine that the electrode has been applied to a surface.

13. The system of claim 12 in which detection of whether the surface to which the electrode is applied is skin or clothing is accomplished using sensors that measure impedance between the two electrodes.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to slow down the rate at which prompts are delivered when progress is slower than a predetermined pace.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the progress detected by the sensors comprises whether a step in the protocol has been initiated and whether the step has been completed.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface delivers at least some of the prompts as oral instructions to be heard by the caregiver.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface delivers at least some of the prompts as visual instructions to be seen by the caregiver.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the user interface comprises an electronic display.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the electronic display provides a series of images.