Monitoring system and method using rules

• US 7,967,749 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2003
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Information Technologies Incorporated (General Electric Company), Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Information Technologies Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: O'Reilly, Michael, Hutchinson, George M., Tremper, Kevin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao; Sam
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rajan; Kai
• Application Number:
  US10/625,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,897 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 128/897, 128903-905, 128/920
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• 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: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A method of monitoring a subject, such as a patient, using rules is provided. The method includes receiving data from the subject, and applying the data to a rule-based algorithm. The method also preferably includes generating a response based on the application of the rule-based algorithm. Some examples of responses include generating an alarm, generating a suggested reason for an identification of an abnormal condition, and generating a suggested response to an abnormal condition that has been identified. Preferably, more than one set of variables is applied to a particular rule-based algorithm. A monitor using the method may be configured to have multiple rule-based algorithms selected and applied simultaneously. Each rule-based algorithm can generate a unique response, or a combination can be used to generate a smaller number of responses. Also, a monitor using this method may be configured to allow rule-based algorithms to be exchanged and/or altered.

Claims

1. A patient physiologic monitoring assembly comprising:

a plurality of sensors that generate a real-time physiologic data stream, said real-time physiologic data stream including a plurality of physiologic variables;

a first logic rule set for diagnosing a physiological condition of a patient, the first logic rule set including a plurality of logic rules for interpreting the plurality of physiologic variables of the real-time physiologic data stream;

a second logic rule set for diagnosing the physiological condition of the patient, the second logic rule set including a plurality of logic rules for interpreting the physiologic variables of the real-time physiologic data stream; and

a controller that receives said real-time physiologic data stream as the data stream is generated, said controller including a logic that;

simultaneously cross references said plurality of physiologic variables of the real-time physiologic data stream with the first logic rule set and second logic rule set as the controller receives the real-time physiologic data system;

generates at least a first diagnostic interpretation of said plurality of physiologic variables utilizing said first logic rule set and a second diagnostic interpretation of said plurality of physiologic variables utilizing said second logic rule set; and

displays said first and second diagnostic interpretations on a display element;

wherein the first diagnostic interpretation and the second diagnostic interpretations are different diagnostic interpretations of the same physiological condition, using the same real-time physiologic data stream.

2. A patient physiologic monitoring assembly as described in claim 1, wherein said logic is further adapted to select said first logic rule set and said second logic rule set from a rules database, said rules database including a plurality of logic rule sets.

3. A patient physiologic monitoring assembly as described in claim 2, wherein said logic is further adapted to modify one of said plurality of logic rules within said first logic rule set.

4. A patient physiologic monitoring assembly as described in claim 3, wherein said logic edits one of said plurality of logic rules.

5. A patient physiologic monitoring assembly as described in claim 3, wherein said logic deletes one of said plurality of logic rules.

6. A patient physiologic monitoring assembly as described in claim 3, wherein said logic adds a new logic rule to said first logic rule set.

7. A patient physiologic monitoring assembly as described in claim 2, wherein said logic is further adapted to add a new logic rule set to said rules database.

8. A patient physiologic monitoring assembly as described in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of networked medical facilities in communication with said controller such that said first logic rule set may be received from any of said plurality of networked medical facilities.

9. A method for providing diagnostic aid to a clinician monitoring the medical condition of a patient, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of sets of rule-based algorithms, including a first and a second set of rule-based algorithms on a data storage device, the first and second sets of rule-based algorithms generating different diagnostic interpretations of the same physiological data representative of the same physiological system;

acquiring a physiological data stream from at least one sensor connected to the patient;

identifying, with a logic of a controller, physiological data present in the physiological data stream;

selecting, with the logic of the controller, the first and second sets of rule-based algorithms that generate different diagnostic interpretations of the identified physiological data in the physiological data stream;

applying with the logic of the controller, at least one rule-based algorithm from the first set of the rule-based algorithms to the physiological data stream as the physiological data stream is acquired;

generating a first diagnostic interpretation with the controller based on the application of the at least one rule-based algorithm from the first set to the acquired physiological data stream;

displaying the first diagnostic interpretation to the clinician;

applying with the logic at least one rule-based algorithm from the second set of rule-based algorithms to the acquired physiological data stream as the physiological data stream is acquired;

generating with the controller a second diagnostic interpretation based on the application of the at least one rule-based algorithm from the second set to the acquired physiological data stream; and

displaying the second diagnostic interpretation to the clinician.

10. A method for diagnosing the medical condition of a patient, the method comprising:

acquiring at least one real-time physiological data stream;

identifying, with a logic operating on a controller, a physiological data present in the at least one real-time physiological data stream;

selecting, with the logic, a first rule set comprising rule-based algorithms directed to produce at least one first diagnostic interpretation of the physiological data;

selecting, with the logic, a second rule set comprising rule-based algorithms directed to produce at least one second diagnostic interpretation of the physiological data, wherein the first rule set and the second rule sets produce different diagnostic interpretations of the same identified physiological data;

applying, with the logic the first rule set to the at least one real-time physiological data stream as the at least one real-time physiological data stream is acquired to produce at least one first diagnostic interpretation;

applying, with the logic, the second rule set to the at least one real-time physiological data stream as the at least one real-time physiological data stream is acquired to produce at least one second diagnostic interpretation; and

displaying at the first and second diagnostic interpretations.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a certainty score for each of the first and second diagnostic interpretations, wherein the certainty score provides comparative information about the first and second diagnostic interpretations.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the physiological data identified in the at least one real-time physiological data stream identifies the cardiac system and the at least one first and second diagnostic interpretations are differing diagnosis of cardiological conditions.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one real-time physiological data stream is a plurality of real-time physiological data streams wherein each of the plurality of real-time physiological data streams monitor the same physiological system using different monitoring techniques.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one real-time physiological data stream is a plurality of real-time physiological data streams wherein each of the plurality of real-time physiological data streams are from separate physiological systems of the patient.