Alarm fatigue management systems and methods

• US 10,524,712 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2018
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VCCB Holdings, Inc. (Masimo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NantHealth, LLC (NantWorks, LLC)
• Inventors: Dyell, David, Rogowski, Christopher, Kahler, Scott, Milan, Jennifer
• Primary Examiner(s): Tun, Nay
• Application Number:
  US16/155,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20190038199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/162 Testing reaction times
• 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: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An apparatus for modifying alarms at a medical device for alarm fatigue management is provided and includes an alarm monitor, an alarm filter, an alarm modifier, a memory element for storing data, and a processor that executes instructions associated with the data, wherein the processor and the memory element cooperate such that the apparatus is configured for receiving an alarm condition from an alarm management engine, the alarm condition based on an alarm fatigue level of a user of the medical device, the alarm fatigue level based on at least a user fatigue model, a medical device model and a patient condition, receiving an alarm from the medical device, modifying the alarm according to the alarm condition, the alarm condition being configured to increase a likelihood of the user responding to the modified alarm, and generating an alarm indicator based on the modification.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an alarm, the system comprising:

an adapter communicatively coupled to a medical device capable of generating an alarm; and

an alarm management engine executing in a computing device and communicatively coupled to the adapter, wherein;

the alarm management engine receives status data from at least one user device indicative of a likelihood of a user responding to the alarm, the status data comprising physiological information related to the user, wherein the status data modifies at least one user fatigue model attribute of a user fatigue model;

the alarm management engine calculates an alarm fatigue level of the user from the at least one user fatigue model as modified by the status data;

the alarm management engine calculates an alarm condition based on the alarm fatigue level, the alarm condition configured to increase the likelihood of the user responding to the alarm or another alarm;

the alarm management engine transmits the alarm condition to the adapter; and

the adapter modifies the alarm according to the alarm condition.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user fatigue model database communicatively coupled to the alarm management engine and comprising the at least one user fatigue model having the at least one user fatigue model attribute.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a subscriptions database communicatively coupled to the alarm management engine and comprising a subscription level for the medical devices, wherein the alarm condition is based on the subscription level of the medical device.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a clinical operating system (cOS) executing in a remote network with the user fatigue model database, wherein the cOS facilitates communication between the alarm management engine and the user fatigue model database.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the adapter comprises:

a memory element for storing data; and

a processor that executes instructions associated with the data, wherein the processor and the memory element cooperate such that the apparatus is configured for;

receiving the alarm condition from the alarm management engine;

receiving the alarm from the medical device;

modifying the alarm according to the alarm condition; and

generating an alarm indicator based on the modification.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the adapter is detachably attached to the medical device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the adapter is integrated into the medical device.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the alarm is based on a physiological measurement of a patient by the medical device.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the modifying comprises deleting the alarm based on the alarm condition.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the modifying comprises changing a format of the alarm.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the modifying comprises changing a distribution mode of the alarm.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the alarm indicator comprises a feedback to the alarm management engine, wherein the alarm condition is further based on the feedback.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the status data further comprises one or more items selected from the group consisting of alarm response time information, user shift data, and environmental alarm data that is indicative of a likelihood of the user responding to the alarm or another alarm.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network over which the adapter communicates with the alarm management engine.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the physiological information comprises one of more items selected from the group consisting of stress level, neurological activity, brain electrical activity, hormone levels, body temperature, breathing rate, blood sugar level, age, change of position, and sleep activity.

16. A system comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium on which are stored instructions executable by a processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving status data from at least one user device indicative of a likelihood of a user responding to an alarm of a medical device, the status data comprising physiological information related to the user, wherein the status data modifies at least one user fatigue model attribute of a user fatigue model;

calculating an alarm fatigue level of the user from the at least one user fatigue model as modified by the status data;

calculating an alarm condition based on the alarm fatigue level, the alarm condition configured to increase the likelihood of the user responding to the alarm or another alarm; and

transmitting the alarm condition to an adapter communicatively coupled to the medical device;

the processor; and

the adapter, wherein the adapter modifies the alarm according to the alarm condition.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a user fatigue model database communicatively coupled to the processor and comprising the at least one user fatigue model having the at least one user fatigue model attribute.

18. A method of controlling an alarm, the method comprising:

receiving status data from at least one user device indicative of a likelihood of a user responding to an alarm of a medical device, the status data comprising physiological information related to the user, wherein the status data modifies at least one user fatigue model attribute of a user fatigue model;

calculating an alarm fatigue level of the user from the at least one user fatigue model as modified by the status data;

calculating an alarm condition based on the alarm fatigue level, the alarm condition configured to increase the likelihood of the user responding to the alarm or another alarm;

transmitting the alarm condition to an adapter communicatively coupled to the medical device; and

modifying the alarm according to the alarm condition.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the calculated alarm condition at an adapter communicatively coupled to the medical device;

receiving the alarm from the medical device;

modifying the alarm according to the alarm condition; and

generating an alarm indicator based on the modification.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the alarm is based on a physiological measurement of a patient by the medical device.