Patent Application
20110028809
1. Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of patient monitors. More specifically, the disclosure relates to the display of various patient monitor characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to assess patient condition, caregivers often desire knowledge of various physiological parameters of the patient. These physiological parameters include, for example, oxygen saturation (SpO2), hemoglobin (Hb), blood pressure (BP), pulse rate (PR), perfusion index (PI), and Pleth Variable Index (PVI) and many others, or combinations of the same, or the like. This monitoring is important to a wide range of medical applications. Oximetry is one of the techniques that has been developed to accomplish the monitoring of some of these physiological characteristics. It was originally developed to study and to measure, among other things, the oxygen status of blood. Pulse oximetry—a noninvasive, widely accepted form of oximetry—relies on a sensor attached externally to a patient to output signals indicative of various physiological parameters, such as a patient's constituents or analytes, including, for example, those listed above as well as a percent value for carbon monoxide saturation (HbCO), methemoglobin saturation (HbMet), fractional saturations, total hematocrit, billirubins, others, or combinations of the same, or the like. As such a pulse oximeter is one of a variety of patient monitors that help provide monitoring of a patient's physiological characteristics.
A pulse oximeter sensor generally includes one or more energy emission devices, such as specific wavelength emitting LEDs, and one or more energy detection devices. The sensor generally attaches to a measurement site such as a patient's finger, toe, ear, ankle, or the like. An attachment mechanism positions the emitters and detector proximal to the measurement site such that the emitters project energy into the tissue, blood vessels, and capillaries of the measurement site, which in turn attenuate the energy. The detector then detects that attenuated energy. The detector communicates at least one signal indicative of the detected attenuated energy to a signal processing device such as an oximeter, generally through cabling attaching the sensor to the oximeter. The oximeter generally calculates, among other things, one or more physiological parameters of the measurement site.
Pulse oximeters are available from Masimo Corporation (“Masimo”) of Irvine, Calif. Moreover, some exemplary portable and other oximeters are disclosed in at least U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,770,028, 6,658,276, 6,157,850, 6,002,952, and 5,769,785, which are owned by Masimo and are incorporated by reference herein. Such oximeters have gained rapid acceptance in a wide variety of medical applications, including surgical wards, intensive care and neonatal units, general wards, home care, physical training, and virtually all types of monitoring scenarios.
Other noninvasive, minimally invasive, and invasive patient monitoring devices are similarly available to measure various parameters of a patient.
Typically, the physiological parameters are displayed to the caregiver as separate numbers, detailed graphs, and/or the like on a display of a patient monitor or the display of a multi-parameter patient monitor. Although this provides a large amount of data in a relatively small space, the greater the number of parameters being monitored, the more complicated and potentially cluttered a display may become.
There remains a need for a simple, highly visible, yet relatively unobtrusive indicator of individual patient parameters or a combination of parameters, such as for example, in an overall wellness assessment. This is particularly useful for parameters or combinations of parameters that are unlikely to change quickly. Such an indicator can provide quick information to a person desiring such information without requiring great concentration or effort in interpretation of a detailed display of graphical or numerical data. For example, it would be useful to provide a patient indicator outside a patient's room so that caregivers need not disturb sleeping patients, those with visitors, or the like when there is no need. A caregiver may also more quickly scan one such indicator or many to assess one or multiple patients. With indicators placed outside patients' rooms or in other conspicuous locations, a caregiver is also able to scan a hallway, department, or the like more efficiently to help locate patients in more urgent need of attention.
One aspect of the disclosure provides a patient monitor with a color-changing indicator that can display a status indication of, for example, hemoglobin, PVI, an overall state of wellness, combinations of the same, or other parameters, measurements or conditions of a patient. In an aspect of this disclosure, the color-changing indicator includes a wireless connection to the patient monitor for easy placement in a wide range of locations.
In an aspect of the disclosure, the color-changing indicator includes a soft glowing orb, cube, or other three-dimensional shape, to provide the patient indication to caregivers from multiple angles, allowing those not near or in line with a patient monitor screen to see the indication of the monitored parameter. In an aspect, the indicator may flash or otherwise change states to indicate alarm conditions as well.
The following drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the claims. Corresponding numerals indicate corresponding parts, and the leading digit of each numbered item indicates the first figure in which an item is found.
Aspects of the disclosure will now be set forth in detail with respect to the figures and various embodiments. One of skill in the art will appreciate, however, that other embodiments and configurations of the devices and methods disclosed herein will still fall within the scope of this disclosure even if not described in the same detail as some other embodiments. Aspects of various embodiments discussed do not limit the scope of the disclosure herein, which is instead defined by the claims following this description.
Turning to
In an embodiment, indicator 114 comprises a glowing lamp 140 that may change colors to correspond to various parameter readings of the patient monitor. As used herein, one of skill in the art will understand that the term “lamp” refers to its broad and ordinary meaning known to an artisan and includes any of a wide variety of devices furnishing artificial light, such as by electricity or gas. A lamp may include one or more fluorescent or incandescent bulbs, LEDs, OLEDs, and/or the like. For example, the lamp 140 of indicator 114 may change slowly from green to yellow to red to indicate an overall wellness condition or other patient parameter as the monitor 102 processes signals from the sensor 106 representing a condition changing from a good to worsening state. In another embodiment, an indicator 114 may change from red to blue to indicate dropping oxygen saturation (SpO2). Various shades of a single color can also provide indications of the state of a certain parameter or group of parameters. In an embodiment, the color change may follow a color gradient, a mathematical interpretation of a gradual change among two or more colors. For example, a linear gradient may specify a starting and ending color, with the colors at each point along the line specified by a mathematical function such as linear interpolation.
Specifically, an embodiment of the patient monitor 102 includes processing board 222 and a host instrument 223. In an exemplary embodiment, the processing board 222 includes a sensor interface 224, a digital signal processor (DSP) 226, and an instrument manager 228. The host instrument, which may be part of an assembled monitor 102 or part of a monitor where the board 222 and/or the instrument 223 are sources from different OEMs, the same OEM for different instrument branding of the like, may advantageously includes one or more displays 108, control buttons 110, a speaker 112 for audio messages, and a wireless signal broadcaster 234. Control buttons 110 may comprise a keypad, a full keyboard, a track wheel, and the like. Additionally embodiments of a patient monitor 102 can include buttons, switches, toggles, check boxes, and the like implemented in software and actuated by a mouse, trackball, touch screen, or other input device.
The sensor interface 224 receives the signals from the sensor 106 detector(s) 220 mat or may not condition the signals for noise and/or gain as desired and passes the signals to the DSP 226 for processing into measurements or indications of physiological parameters, combinations of physiological parameters, or the like. Some or all of the measurements can be transmitted to the instrument manager 228, which may further process the parameters for display by the host instrument 223. In some embodiments, the DSP 226 also communicates with a memory 230. In some embodiments, memory may be located on the sensor 106, in the cable 104, in the connector in the instrument, combinations of the foregoing, or the like. The memory 120 may store information related to the properties of the sensor that may be useful in processing the signals, such as, for example, emitter 216 energy wavelengths or other useful data. The elements of processing board 222 provide processing of the sensor 106 signals. Tracking or trending medical signals can prove challenging because the signals may include various anomalies that may not reflect an actual changing patient parameter. The processing board 222 processing generally attempts to filter limited duration anomalies, while preserving actual parameter behavior. The host instrument 223 then is able to display one or more physiological parameters according to instructions from the instrument manager 228.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the host instrument 223 also includes a wireless signal broadcaster 234, which it uses to send a signal to one or more visual indicators 114 indicative of an indicator display state for a particular patient status parameter or condition, for example, an overall wellness indication. Visual indicator 114, in an embodiment, includes an antenna 232, memory 236, a processor 238, and one or more lamps 140, such as one or more LEDs or other light sources. The antenna 232 can comprise a one-way or two-way antenna in various embodiments. The processor 232 may comprise a special or general purpose processor, a printed circuit board, or the like.
Antenna 232 receives signals broadcast by one of the board 222 or the host instrument 223 and the processor 238 interprets these signals to determine, for example, how to drive lamp 140. In an embodiment, these wireless signals may include encryption, a patient monitor identifier, or the like, so that each of multiple patient monitors can communicate with one or more specific visual indicators 114. In an embodiment, memory 236 may store one or more of an indication of which host instrument's signals to accept, unique indicator data or parameter selection information, display data, and/or the like. Memory 236 may include an EPROM, an EEPROM, RAM, and/or solid state memory, combinations of the same, or the like for example. The processor 238 can then utilize information from memory 236 to help interpret the received signals, such as by extracting information including a display color, display pattern (such as flashing), alarm conditions, patient location identifier, doctor identifier, paging information, caregiver, combinations of the same, and/or the like.
Memory 236 is preferably programmable so that a caregiver can leave an indicator 114 in one place and associate different patient monitors 102 with it at various times. In an embodiment, the memory 236 programming can be accomplished through a “pairing” function that links one or more patient monitors 102 with one or more visual indicators 114. In an embodiment, for example, a patient monitor 102 identifier can be stored in memory 236 for comparison with signals detected by antenna 232. Opposingly, a caregiver may move an indicator 114 or associate it with different stationary patient monitors 102 at various times. For example, a single indicator 114 may be placed at a nurse's station for a hospital department. A nurse, doctor, or other caregiver may then associate that indicator 114 with the patient monitor 102 that is monitoring critical patients in the department, or the like. One of skill in the art will understand, from the disclosure herein, that any of a wide variety of communications protocols could be used for the communications discussed. For example, a patient monitor system 100 can include Bluetooth® communications or other radio frequency communications protocols. In various embodiments, wireless signal broadcaster 234 and indicator antenna 232 can utilize one-way or two-way communications in transferring patient information for display.
In various embodiments, the patient monitor 102 can transmit signals approximately continuously, at periodic or random intervals, or whenever a change of a certain magnitude is detected, combinations of the same or the like. It is preferable for all or much of the signal processing to be done within the patient monitor 102, such as by processing board 222, to help allow the transmission of data to indicator 114 in relatively small packets. This helps limit the amount of processing required at the indicator 114. As an example, a transmission packet may include a number between 0 and a number X, between −X and +X, or the like to indicate the location along a color gradient spectrum to display. The information may also be a specific color code, drive current/voltage, duty cycle, alarm function, combinations of the same, or the like. The transmission packet may further include a patient monitor ID or other identifier as described herein allowing the indicator 114 to determine the proper signal to display. In an embodiment, the information may further include a display pattern or alarm state (such as, for example, solid or flashing), sound data for an included speaker, combinations of the same, or the like.
One example parameter that may be displayed by indicator 114 in this manner is the Pleth Variable Index (PVI) developed by Masimo Corporation, Irvine, California that is a measure of the dynamic changes in the perfusion index (PI) that occur during the respiratory cycle. In an embodiment, the measurement of PI can be defined as a ratio of pulsatile blood flow to nonpulsatile blood in peripheral tissue. In this embodiment, the PVI is a noninvasive measurement indicative of peripheral perfusion that can be continuously determined with a pulse oximeter.
If, for example, the PVI is chosen for display, in an embodiment, the instrument manager 228 creates a packet, including an indication of the color representative of the current PVI reading, for transmission to the visual indicator 114. The packet may further include an indication that the PVI is not in an alarm state. The wireless signal broadcaster 234 transmits the packet to visual indicator 114, which accepts the packet at antenna 232. Processor 238 can extracts the requisite information from the packet and causes lamp 140 to display the proper color as indicated by the current PVI readings. With a regular transmission of updated PVI readings, the lamp 140 will appear to change color with the changes in the PVI readings. The pace or acceleration of a color change provides a strong visual indication to a caregiver of the changes in PVI without a need to see and interpret specific alphanumeric characters or remember what previous readings had been. For example, a changing color from green to red can give a quick indication of a drop in a patient parameter, whereas a caregiver who has not been monitoring that parameter may not understand what a single numeric reading means or would have to recall what the relationship was between the current reading and previous readings. Similarly, the lamp 140 may flash or provide other indications of an alarm state to attract quick attention from a caregiver.
The indicator 114 can also display other blood constituents, combinations of other parameters, or the like as other examples. Parameters that are likely to change relatively slowly are ideally suited to a color gradient or similar visual indicator 114, but other parameters can also be suitably displayed.
An indicator 114 as disclosed herein can be advantageous for a number of situations. As explained, it can often be seen from a greater distance, and a caregiver does not need to be facing a patient monitor display 108 to derive an understanding or even a glimpse of a patient's condition. For example, an embodiment of the present disclosure may be particularly useful in an operating room, such that a surgeon can obtain a quick understanding of a PI reading for a patient by looking at a visual indicator 114 rather than having to ask someone else in the room or distracting his or her attention by trying to read a detailed alphanumeric display of a patient monitor. Similarly, indications of the depth of anesthesia can be calculated from a noninvasive monitor. In an embodiment, a surgeon can obtain a quick understanding of this measurement without asking the anesthesiologist who may be attending to other aspects of the patient's care. Similarly, it may be more important for the anesthesiologist to monitor the main display 108 of the patient monitor, and the display may be turned away from the surgeon interested in a general status indication.
Another feature of embodiments of the disclosure is that the visual indicator 114 may be more harmonious with the environment. In a crowded hospital setting, aural alerts or alarms can be intrusive to patient care or caregiver situations. Multiple such alerts and alarms can simply become noise over time. Additionally, aural alerts may at times frighten a patient unnecessarily, creating stress and anxiety that may be counterproductive to the patient's treatment. In an embodiment, a soft glowing indicator 114 can be more soothing to a patient, while still conveying important information to a caregiver.
The visual indicator 114 has been discussed mainly in terms of a wireless embodiment. This feature can provide greater flexibility in placement of the indicator 114. For example, an indicator can be placed on top of a patient monitor 102, beside a patient's bed, outside a patient's room, such as near the door to the room or in a central area, such as a nurse's station, attached to an IV tree, or the like, with less intrusion from wiring. However, other embodiments of the patient monitor system 100 with indicator 114 may include wired connections between host instrument 223 and indicator 114, integration between host instrument 223 and indicator 114, or the like. In an embodiment, indicator 114 includes a power source, such as a battery, solar charger, or the like, to further increase the placement options for indicator 114. In other embodiments, indicator 114 may be adapted to connect to a power outlet, a USB or mini-USB port or the like. Additionally, while the figures illustrate the indicator 114 as comprising a generally spherical lamp 140, other embodiments may include varying shapes, comprise single or multiple lamps as a strip, cube, or the like.
Although referenced generally herein, a number of exemplary methods will now be more specifically discussed with reference to
In block 454, valid patient parameter measurements are translated into data expected by visual indicator 114. There are a number of possible options for this translation. The translation may include interpretation of a continuum between two or more colors, and a linear interpolation of a color along the color gradient between these colors. In one embodiment, the visual indication signal may include a numerical value representative of a distance along a color gradient, a code representative of a specific color to be displayed, the actual parameter measurement (for interpretation within a visual indicator processor 238, for example), and/or the like. In an embodiment, the visual indication signal may further include a display code to indicate how the color should be displayed, such as solid, pulsing, flashing, the brightness level, combinations of the same, or the like. In an embodiment, the visual indication signal may further include a source or destination code, such as, for example, a patient monitor 102 identifier or a visual indicator 114 identifier, to help determine what visual indicator is the intended receiver. Such an identifying code is generally necessary when the visual indicator is connected wirelessly or through an addressable computer network, for example. The patient monitor 102 outputs the visual indication signal to the indicator 114 at block 456. The visual indicator 114 receives the signal, decodes it, and alters the one or more lamps 140 accordingly at block 458.
Apart from selecting which patient monitor 102 and which visual indicator 114 should be paired, a user, in an embodiment, may also be able to select which patient parameter should be displayed with the visual indicator 114.
In additional embodiments, multiple parameters may be selected simultaneously, such as through the use of check boxes rather than the radio buttons illustrated in
As described generally herein, in an embodiment, the patient monitor 102 is programmable to determine which signals to transmit or broadcast to an indicator 114. In an embodiment, for example, patient monitor 102 comprises software to allow a caregiver to review various indicator display options on display 108 and select among options using keypad 110 or other input methods. For example, a caregiver may select to have the indicator display SpO2, a general wellness indication, PVI, others, combinations of the same, or the like. In this manner, a caregiver can select the most important parameter that he or she wishes to monitor. For example, a caregiver may determine that a particular patient's condition is likely to manifest the patient's worsening state first or most dramatically through a change in SpO2. The caregiver may thus wish to have quick access to changes in that parameter and select to have that parameter displayed by the visual indicator 114. Other patients may simply be generally monitored through a general wellness indication that amalgamates multiple parameters.
In an embodiment, a caregiver can also select or alter other options for the visual indicator 114, such as for example, brightness, color selections, alarm conditions, alarm settings (such as an audible volume or tone or visual flashing, for example), and the like, for lamp 140. In other embodiments, some or all of these features may be selectable through controls accessible through indicator 114. For example, in an embodiment, a patient monitor 102 may use wireless signal broadcaster 234 to send indications of multiple parameters. The indicator's processor 238 may then select among these various condition indications to display the patient indication desired by the caregiver. Similarly, in an embodiment, indicator 114 may include controls to vary the colors, brightness, or other aspects of lamp 140. In another embodiment, processor 238 and/or memory 236 may be programmable through a PC, server, handheld device, or the like through a wired or wireless connection. For example, in an embodiment, an indicator 114 may utilize a mini-USB connection to connect to a power adaptor as well as a laptop, handheld device, smart phone, or the like to access indicator 114 options.
Although the foregoing has been described in terms of certain specific embodiments, other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the disclosure herein. Moreover, the described embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, other combinations, omissions, substitutions, and modifications will be apparent to the skilled artisan in view of the disclosure herein. For example, various functions described as occurring at one or more element of the patient monitor 102 may also or alternatively be accomplished within indicator 114 or vice versa. Thus, the present disclosure is not limited by the preferred embodiments, but is defined by reference to the appended claims. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure.
This application claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/229,633, filed Jul. 29, 2009, entitled “Patient Monitor Ambient Display Device.” The disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61229633 | Jul 2009 | US |
