Arrangement comprising medical treatment units and peripheral devices as well as a peripheral device and treatment unit for use in such an arrangement

• US 9,878,081 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Leiendecker, Claus, Mller, Carsten, Schulte, Elke, Zhang, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Chng, Joy
• Application Number:
  US12/596,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,575 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00119 alarm; indicating an abnormal situation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• 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 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/14 Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00 ; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/84 for treating several patients simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An assembly includes at least two medical treatment units, each of which can be allocated to a patient and at least two peripheral devices, each of which can be allocated to a patient. The peripheral devices and the treatment units have means for allocating a peripheral device to a treatment unit and means for verifying the allocation of a peripheral device to a patient. To allocate a peripheral device to a treatment unit, the peripheral device is placed by operators in a receiving unit belonging to the treatment unit. Said receiving unit is preferably designed as a charging station for the battery of the peripheral device. In the event of a successful allocation of peripheral device and patient, confirmed by the receipt of physiological data of the patient, the operators verify the correct allocation of a peripheral device to the patient and must confirm the correct allocation by confirmation means. The peripheral device is only released if the operator has confirmed the correct allocation, preferably within a predefined time period.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising:

at least two medical treatment units; and

at least two peripheral devices,

wherein a first medical treatment unit of the at least two medical treatment units and a first peripheral device of the at least two peripheral devices are configured to be allocated to a patient, and the first peripheral device comprises a first connector, the first peripheral device and the first treatment unit together including

a system of at least one of tubes or lines configured for connecting the patient to the first treatment unit to thereby allocate the first medical treatment unit to the patient,

an accommodation unit fixed to the first medical treatment unit, configured to receive the first peripheral device, and comprising a second connector configured to connect with the first connector,

a data transmission system comprising a transmitter in the first peripheral device and a receiver in the first medical treatment unit, and being configured such that, when the first peripheral device is received in the accommodation unit the transmitter sends address information to the receiver and the first medical treatment unit identifies the first peripheral device as being allocated to the first medical treatment unit,

a detector for detecting when the first peripheral device is removed from the accommodation unit,

a physiological sensor for detecting patient-specific data of the patient, wherein the first peripheral device comprises the physiological sensor and the data transmission system is configured to transmit a status signal to both the first peripheral device and the first medical treatment unit, indicating that the first peripheral device has been allocated to the patient,

an acknowledgement switch or button configured to, upon activation, acknowledge that the first peripheral device and the first medical treatment unit have been allocated to the same patient,

a display comprising a prompt that prompts an operator to activate the acknowledgement switch or button once the receiver receives the status signal, and

a processor configured to release the peripheral device such that the transmitter sends the patient-specific data to the receiver only on condition that the correct allocation of the peripheral device to the patient has been acknowledged.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the data transmission system comprises a radio transmitter/receiver in the first peripheral device and a radio transmitter/receiver in the first medical treatment unit.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to detect when the first peripheral device is accommodated in the accommodation unit.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the first peripheral device is received in and contacts the accommodation unit through mechanical contact makers.

5. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the accommodation unit includes a charging unit, the first peripheral device comprises a power supply including a battery, and the charging unit is configured to charge the battery of the power supply of the first peripheral device.

6. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the accommodation unit and the detector are configured to cooperate with the first peripheral device in such a way that, after detection of the first peripheral device, the first peripheral device sends a media access control address, for identification, to the first medical treatment unit and the first medical treatment unit receives the media access control address for identification of the first peripheral device.

7. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the transmitter/receiver in the first peripheral device is configured to wirelessly transmit signals and the transmitter/receiver in the first medical treatment unit is configured to wirelessly receive signals.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a radio transmitter/receiver and the transmitter comprises a radio transmitter/receiver.

9. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to cooperate with a timer configured to measure a time after removal of the first peripheral device from the accommodation unit in such a way that, when patient-specific data are received, it is concluded that there is a successful allocation of the first peripheral device to the patient only when the first peripheral device has been acknowledged by activation of the acknowledgement switch or button within a preset time interval.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the display is configured to display a remaining time in the preset time interval within which an acknowledgement by activation of the acknowledgement switch or button, to indicate allocation of the first peripheral device to the patient, has to take place.

11. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm emitter configured to emit an optical and/or acoustic signal, said alarm emitter being designed in such a way that the optical and/or acoustic signal is emitted if, within a preset time interval after removal of the first peripheral device from the accommodation unit, the first peripheral device has not been successfully allocated to the treatment unit.

12. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement switch or button comprises a pushbutton or an inductive switch.

13. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first medical treatment unit is a blood treatment apparatus comprising an extracorporeal blood circuit.

14. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first peripheral device includes at least one sensor for measuring a patient'"'"'s blood pressure, pulse, or both.

15. An alarm system comprising:

a medical treatment unit configured to administer medical treatment to a patient connected to the medical treatment unit via a system of at least one of tubes or lines, the medical treatment unit comprising a radio transmitter/receiver and an accommodation unit, the accommodation unit comprising a power supply and a first electrical connection; and

a peripheral device configured to be connected to the patient and comprising a sensor configured to generate a patient signal corresponding to a physiological aspect of the patient, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a blood pressure sensor and a pulse sensor, the peripheral device further comprising a second radio transmitter/receiver, a battery, and a second electrical connection and being configured to be received in the accommodation unit such that an electrical connection is made between the first and second electrical connections and the battery is charged by the power supply,

wherein the medical treatment unit and the peripheral device together include

a connection sensor configured to detect a coupling of the peripheral device with the accommodation unit, the connection sensor comprising electrical contacts and configured to generate a status signal when the coupling is detected, the connection sensor being operatively connected to the second radio transmitter/receiver of the peripheral device and configured to prompt the second radio transmitter/receiver of the peripheral device to send an address for the identification of the peripheral device to the radio transmitter/receiver of the medical treatment unit thereby enabling the medical treatment unit to identify the peripheral device,

an acknowledgement switch or button configured to send an acknowledgement signal to the medical treatment unit upon activation of the acknowledgement switch or button,

a processing module configured to check an allocation of the peripheral device to the patient by evaluating the patient signal corresponding to the physiological aspect of the patient, and to (1) generate an alarm signal if, based on the evaluation of the patient signal, the peripheral device is determined not to be allocated to the patient, or (2) prompt an operator to activate the acknowledgment switch or button if, based on the evaluation of the patient signal, the peripheral device is determined to be allocated to the patient,

a processing module configured to transmit patient-specific data, sensed by the sensor, via the second radio transmitter/receiver, from the peripheral device to the radio transmitter/receiver of the medical treatment unit for use in a treatment program only on condition that the correct allocation of the peripheral device to the patient has been acknowledged by activation of the acknowledgment switch or button within a preset time interval, and

an alarm emitter configured to emit an optical and/or acoustic alarm when an alarm signal generated by the processing module configured to check, is received.

16. The alarm system according to claim 15, wherein the processing modules are components of a microprocessor.

17. A method, comprising:

connecting a treatment unit to a patient via a system of at least one of tubes or lines for connection of the patient to the treatment unit, the treatment unit comprising a radio transmitter/receiver and an accommodation unit, the accommodation unit comprising a power supply and a first electrical connection,

allocating a peripheral device to the treatment unit and the patient, the peripheral device configured being connected to the patient and comprising a sensor configured to generate a patient signal corresponding to a physiological aspect of the patient, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a blood pressure sensor and a pulse sensor, the peripheral device further comprising a second radio transmitter/receiver, a battery, and a second electrical connection and being configured to be received in the accommodation unit such that an electrical connection is made between the first and second electrical connections and the battery is charged by the power supply, the allocating comprising detecting a coupling of the peripheral device to the accommodation unit with a connection sensor comprising electrical contacts and configured to generate a status signal when the coupling is detected, the connection sensor being operatively connected to the second radio transmitter/receiver of the peripheral device and configured to prompt the second radio transmitter/receiver of the peripheral device to send an address for the identification of the peripheral device to the radio transmitter/receiver of the treatment unit thereby enabling the treatment unit to identify the peripheral device,

checking, via the microprocessor, the allocation of the peripheral device to the patient by evaluating a signal corresponding to a physiological aspect of the patient, and either (1) generating an alarm signal if, based on the evaluation of the patient signal, the peripheral device is determined not to be allocated to the patient, or (2) prompting an operator to activate an acknowledgment switch or button if, based on the evaluation of the patient signal, the peripheral device is determined to be allocated to the patient,

activating an acknowledgement switch or button configured to send an acknowledgement signal to the treatment unit upon activation of the acknowledgement switch or button, to acknowledge that the peripheral device and the treatment unit have been allocated to the same patient, and

transmitting patient-specific data, sensed by the sensor, with the second radio transmitter/receiver, from the peripheral device to the radio transmitter/receiver of the treatment unit, for use in a treatment program only on condition that the correct allocation of the peripheral device and the patient has been acknowledged by activation of the acknowledgement switch or button within a preset time interval.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the allocation of the peripheral device to the treatment unit, the checking of the allocation of the peripheral device to the patient, and the releasing of the peripheral device are all performed by processing modules.