Patent Application
20130255681
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of patient monitoring systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for collecting data provided with one or more patient monitoring devices.
A patient monitoring device measures parametric data associated with a patient that is connected to the device. Ventilators, for example, measure a large set of patient parameters including oxygen level, air pressure, air volume, air flow, and other parameters. Similarly, heart monitors measure various patient parameters associated with cardiac monitoring, such as, for example, pulse rate and other electrocardiogram (ECG) data. Some patient monitoring systems monitor patient parameters continuously. For example, ventilators may measure patient parameters on a breath-to-breath basis where the measured data is subject to change or updates with each breath of the patient. Other patient monitoring devices monitor patient parameters in a similar fashion. Heart monitors, for example, may collect a new set of parametric data with each pulse of the patient.
Hospitals and other patient care facilities often include one or more data collection servers that collect the parametric data monitored by the patient monitoring devices and other data, such as biometric, medical, and/or device configuration data. The collected data may be used for predictive analysis of a patient or group of patients or for diagnosing a patient's illness, for example. Patient monitoring devices typically report measured data upon request from the data collection system. As such, modern data collection systems collect the parametric data provided with the patient monitoring devices at a fixed or regular sampling rate. Oversampling the data by the data collection system negatively affects communication bandwidth and can lead to a failure or fault with the overworked patient monitoring device. As such, a data collection system may request data provided with a patient monitoring device at large sampling intervals, such as intervals of 30 seconds, one minute, two minutes, etc. Any data updates or events that occur between the sampling intervals are either lost or delayed until the next sampling interval occurs.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of sampling parametric data by a data collection system is provided. The parametric data is provided with a ventilator system and is associated with a patient monitored by the ventilator system. The method includes receiving information associated with a first respiration rate of a monitored patient. The information associated with the first respiration rate is provided with the ventilator system. The method includes setting a data sampling rate to substantially match the first respiration rate, and sampling parametric data associated with the monitored patient at the data sampling rate. The parametric data is provided with the ventilator system. The method further includes receiving information associated with a second respiration rate of the monitored patient. The second respiration rate is different from the first respiration rate. The method further includes adjusting, during the sampling of the parametric data, the data sampling rate to substantially match the second respiration rate, and sampling parametric data associated with the monitored patient at the adjusted data sampling rate.
In one example, the method includes sending a request for the parametric data associated with the patient to the ventilator system. In another example, the method further includes receiving the requested parametric data and a respiration rate from the ventilator system upon sending the request. In yet another example, the method includes receiving a notification from the ventilator system following each of a plurality of successive respiration cycles of the monitored patient, the notification indicating that parametric data associated with the previous respiration cycle of the patient is available at the ventilator system. In still another example, the method includes sending a request to the ventilator system for the available parametric data associated with the previous respiration cycle of the patient following the receipt of each notification, and receiving the requested parametric data at the data collection system following the sending of each request. In another example, the method includes limiting the adjusted data sampling rate to a predetermined maximum rate upon the second respiration rate exceeding the predetermined maximum rate.
According to another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of sampling data provided with a patient monitoring device is provided. The method includes sampling parametric data associated with a patient and provided with a patient monitoring device, determining a frequency of a periodic physiological event associated with the patient, and adjusting a sampling rate during the sampling of the parametric data based on a change in the frequency of the periodic physiological event associated with the patient. In one example, the method includes receiving information associated with the frequency of the periodic physiological event from the patient monitoring device. In another example, the method includes setting the sampling rate to match the frequency of the periodic physiological event associated with the patient. In yet another example, the method includes receiving a notification of each of a plurality of successive occurrences of the periodic physiological event associated with the patient. In still another example, the sampling rate is adjusted to sample the parametric data associated with the patient following the receipt of each notification. In another example, the periodic physiological event associated with the patient includes at least one of respiration and pulse.
According to yet another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a data collection system is provided including a database and at least one server computer. The at least one server computer is operative to sample parametric data associated with a patient and to store the sampled parametric data in the database. The parametric data is provided with a patient monitoring device. The at least one server computer adjusts a sampling frequency during a sampling of the parametric data based on a change in a determined frequency of a periodic physiological event associated with the patient. In one example, the at least one server computer is operative to sample parametric data provided with each of a plurality of patient monitoring devices at a different sampling frequency. In another example, the at least one server computer receives information associated with the frequency of the periodic physiological event from the patient monitoring device.
The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which are described herein. The embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. Therefore, no limitation of the scope of the claimed invention is thereby intended. The present invention includes any alterations and further modifications of the illustrated devices and described methods and further applications of the principles of the invention which would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring to
Data collection system 10 includes a server computer 12 and a server database 14 in communication with server computer 12. Server computer 12 includes a processor 16 and a memory 18 accessible by processor 16. Memory 18, which comprises one or more memory locations, includes software containing instructions executable by processor 16. Memory 18 illustratively includes data collection logic 50 comprising software or firmware code that, when executed by processor 16, causes server computer 12 to retrieve patient data from patient monitoring devices 30 at variable sampling rates, as described herein. Memory 18 may be internal or external to server computer 12. Processor 16 includes any suitable processing device or devices operative to execute the logic stored at memory 18. For example, processor 16 may include one or more programmable processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU) devices), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), hardwired logic, or combinations thereof. Server computer 12 is operative to route patient data received from patient monitoring devices 30 to server database 14 for storage.
Server computer 12 receives various types of data from patient monitoring devices 30 and from other local and remote data sources. In one embodiment, devices 30 and/or other point-of-care devices in communication with server computer 12 route biometric, medical, and/or device configuration data entered by a clinician or device technician via a user interface (see, for example, user interface 142 of
An optional remote monitor 20 is illustratively coupled to server computer 12 via a communication link 24, such as a computer networking protocol link (e.g., internet protocol (IP)). Remote monitor 20 includes any remote computer device or user interface operative to remotely communicate with server computer 12 and to access database 14. Database 14 is coupled to server computer 12 via a data bus 22, although computer 12 may alternatively communicate with database 14 over a computer networking protocol such as IP. Database 14 includes one or more data stores for storing the data provided with server computer 12. The stored data is accessible by a point of care application (e.g., a patient monitoring device 30) or by other local and remote applications (e.g., remote monitor 20) having authorized access to the database 14.
Patient monitoring devices 30 include point-of-care medical devices that are operative to measure one or more parameters of a patient and report the measured data to server computer 12 and/or to a local display. In the illustrated embodiment, patient monitoring devices 30 include a ventilator system 32, a heart monitor system 34, and a pulse oximetry device 36, although other suitable medical devices or systems may be provided that are operative to measure patient parameters. Exemplary parametric data monitored by devices 30 includes physiological data of the patient. Depending on the type of patient monitoring device 30, exemplary physiological data includes blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, air volume and pressure, ECG data, etc. Devices 30 also provide alarm data and data related to physiological events or responses associated with the patient. For example, ventilator 32 detects inhalation/exhalation events, and heart monitor 34 detects pulse events that are detected based on the monitored parametric data. Server computer 12 includes an encoder (not shown) operative to decode all received parametric data. Server computer 12 also normalizes the received and decoded parametric data in preparation for storage in database 14.
In one embodiment, patient monitoring devices 30 may store the monitored data in an internal or external local memory, as described herein with respect to
In another embodiment, data collection system 10 includes multiple server computers 12 networked together as a server farm. Such a server configuration may provide, for example, load balancing during data collection from multiple patient monitoring devices 30. A network of server computers 12 also may provide data replication capabilities such that data from devices 30 may be replicated and stored in multiple databases 14.
Referring to
Data collection system 100 includes a computer 112 coupled to a ventilator system 130. Computer 112 may be any suitable computer device, such as a server, a laptop, a desktop, or a tablet computer, for example, operative to collect and route parametric data received from ventilator system 130 to a database 114. Computer 112 includes a control unit 116, such as a CPU or other suitable processing device(s), and a memory 118 accessible by the control unit 116. Memory 118 includes logic, such as software or firmware, containing instructions executable by control unit 116. Similar to data collection logic 50 of
Computer 112 is in communication with database 114 via communication link 122. In one embodiment, link 122 provides wireless or wired communication over an IP network, Ethernet network, or other suitable local or remote communication network. Ventilator system 130 includes a pair of communication ports 154, 156 for communicating with an external device, illustratively computer 112. In one embodiment, ports 154, 156 are serial communication ports 154, 156. Alternatively, ports 154, 156 may include universal serial bus (USB) ports 154, 156, although other types and numbers of ports 154, 156 may be provided. Communication cables 152, 153 are coupled to respective ports 154, 156 of ventilator system 130 and to a routing device 160. A communication link 162 is provided between routing device 160 and a communication port 158 of computer 112. In one embodiment, communication link 162 is a wired or wireless internet protocol (IP) link, such as TCP/IP or UDP. As such, routing device 160 is operative to convert serial or USB data from ventilator system 130 to an IP format for computer 112, and vice versa, for transferring the parametric data and data requests/responses between computer 112 and ventilator system 130. Alternatively, computer 112 may be directly connected to ventilator system 130 via serial or USB communication or via other suitable communication protocols.
Ventilator system 130 also includes a control unit 132, such as one or more processor devices, and a memory 134 accessible by control unit 132. Memory 134 includes logic, such as software or firmware, that contains instructions executable by control unit 132 for controlling operation of ventilator system 130. In one embodiment, memory 134 further includes one or more memory locations, such as cache memory locations, operative to temporarily store each updated set of the monitored patient data. Ventilator system 130 illustratively includes a local display 140 for displaying monitored data to medical professionals, the patient, and/or other individuals at the ventilator 130. Coupled to display 140 is a user interface 142 (e.g., graphical user interface, keyboard, mouse, etc.) providing a user with the ability to request, collect, and/or display particular data at ventilator system 130.
Ventilator system 130 includes a request/response mode of operation. In a request/response protocol, ventilator system 130 outputs available parametric data to an external device, such as computer 112, upon receipt of a data request from the external device, such as from computer 112. In one embodiment, ventilator system 130 collects more than 150 patient parameters following each respiration cycle, although any suitable number of patient parameters may be measured by ventilator system 130 depending on configuration. In one embodiment, the parameters are provided as a set to data collection system 100 upon request.
In one embodiment, ventilator system 130 is further configured to output a notification message automatically upon the completion of a respiration cycle by the monitored patient. An exemplary message includes a waveform representing the monitored air volume or pressure over time for the most recent respiration cycle. Other suitable messages may be provided, such as a data flag, etc. In the illustrated embodiment, this automatically generated message is output via port 156 and the parametric data is output (upon request) via port 154, although the message and parametric data may alternatively be output via the same port. In one operating mode of data collection system 100, data collection logic 150 uses the automatically generated message as a trigger to request updated parametric data from ventilator system 130, as described herein.
Data collection logic 150 (and data collection logic 50 of
While the data collection logic 150 is illustratively configured to sample data from ventilator system 130 following each exhalation phase of the respiration cycle, data collection logic 150 may alternatively sample data following each inhalation phase of the respiration cycle or at another suitable point in the respiration cycle of the patient.
Referring to
Referring to
At block 402, data collection system 100 initiates communication by sending a request to ventilator system 130 for the available parametric data at ventilator system 130. In addition, the request includes a request for an updated respiration rate of the monitored patient as determined by ventilator system 130. Ventilator system 130 determines the patient's respiration rate in any suitable fashion. For example, ventilator system 130 may include a sensor that monitors the patient's respiration. The sensor may detect air pressure or volume, for example, to determine the completion of each respiration cycle, and thus to determine the respiration rate. Alternatively, a respiration rate that is input by an operator (e.g., clinician, nurse, etc.) may be used as the actual respiration rate that is communicated to data collection system 100. For example, ventilator system 130 may include a control mode where the respiration rate of the patient is controlled at a specified, fixed rate as entered by the operator. In one embodiment, ventilator system 130 continually monitors the respiration rate, i.e., updates the respiration rate following each respiration cycle.
Ventilator system 130 outputs (e.g., via port 154) the most recent respiration rate information and parametric data upon receipt of the request at block 402. Computer 12 receives the respiration rate information and parametric data set from ventilator system 130 at block 404, illustratively via link 162 at communication port 158 of
Alternatively, ventilator system 130 provides information related to the patient's respiration rate to computer 12 at block 404, and computer 12 determines the updated respiration rate of the patient based on the received respiration information. For example, ventilator system 130 may provide data related to the detected air pressure and/or volume following the respiration cycle of the patient. Based on the received data, computer 12 calculates the updated respiration rate.
At block 406, data collection logic 150 routes the received parametric data to database 114 for storage. In addition, based on the updated respiration rate, data collection logic 150 adjusts the sampling interval at block 408 such that the frequency at which system 100 collects data, i.e., the frequency at which system 100 issues data requests and receives data, corresponds to or matches the respiration rate received at block 404. For example, if the monitored patient is breathing at a respiration rate of ten breaths per minute, data collection logic 150 sets the sampling interval to six seconds, i.e., a sampling frequency of ten samples per minute.
Upon continued data collection at block 410, data collection logic 150 issues the next request for parametric data and respiration rate at block 412 based on the sampling interval determined at block 408. Since the next request at block 412 is based on the adjusted sampling interval, the request is configured to collect the next available parametric data and respiration rate at ventilator system 130. Data collection logic 150 then proceeds to block 404 to receive the updated data and respiration rate and to continue the data collection and adjustment of the sampling rate during the data collection. Because the sampling interval determined at block 408 corresponds to the updated respiration rate of the patient, each successive request issued at block 412 is operative to grab the updated data set and respiration rate from ventilator system 130 following each respiration cycle of the patient.
In an exemplary data collection sequence, data collection system 100 samples data at an interval of six seconds corresponding to a respiration rate of ten respiration cycles per minute. As such, a next request (issued at block 412) is issued six seconds after a previous request. The updated respiration rate received from ventilator system 130 following the next request is 12 respiration cycles per minute, for example. As such, data collection logic 150 updates the sampling frequency at block 408 to 12 samples per minute, and the following request is issued 5 seconds after the previous request. Thus, the sampling rate is continually updated with each successive breathing cycle of the patient until the data collection stops at block 410.
In one embodiment, adjusting the sampling rate based on each received respiration rate (with each respiration cycle) increases the likelihood of maintaining a sampling rate that matches the patient's actual respiration rate, and thus increases the likelihood of acquiring all updated parametric data associated with each respiration cycle of the patient. However, in some embodiments, a less frequent sampling rate may be implemented. For example, in another embodiment, data collection system 100 is configured to adjust the sampling rate less frequently, such as every other breathing cycle, every 10 seconds, etc.
Referring to
At block 502, upon connection of data collection system 100 to ventilator system 130, data collection system 100 receives a notification from ventilator system 130 upon completion of a respiration cycle by the monitored patient. In the illustrated embodiment, the notification received at block 502 is the data message automatically provided by ventilator system 130 via port 156, as described herein. In one embodiment, the message is a waveform representing the monitored air volume or pressure over time for the most recent respiration cycle. However, the message may include any suitable signal or data flag that is configured to automatically generate upon completion of a breathing cycle by the patient. The message serves as a notification to data collection system 100 that there is updated parametric data available at ventilator system 130 corresponding to the completion of the breathing cycle. As such, the receipt of the message at data collection system 100 serves as a trigger for data collection logic 150 to initiate a data request, as represented at block 504.
Upon sending a request to ventilator system 130 at block 504 following receipt of the notification message at block 502, data collection system 100 receives the updated data set from ventilator system 130 at block 506. In one embodiment, data collection system 100 also receives the respiration rate, as described herein with respect to
In one embodiment, data collection logic 150 implements a maximum and/or a minimum sampling rate in the methods of
When data collection system 100 simultaneously collects data from multiple patient monitoring devices 30, data collection logic 150 is operative to set a sampling rate for each device 30 based on the detected respiration rate of the patient connected to each device 30. As such, data collection system 100 may sample data provided with each of a plurality of patient monitoring devices 30 at a different sampling frequency.
While the methods of
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the spirit and scope of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.
