Patent Application
20070288923
An instruction storage 2 accumulates instruction information (or execution instruction information) that indicates instructions for works given by an instructor (i.e., physician) such as shown in
A process storage (or information storage) 1 stores process maps and task information. An example of a process map for process type 3 is shown in
A process map defines constraint on order of carrying out tasks in a work process. In the process map shown in
For each task in a process map, task information describes a task number, a task name, a required time, a failure mode, a process risk value, a check point, and an execution time point. Required time is an amount of time that is needed for executing a task. Data including a task number or task name and a required time for a task corresponds to task time information, for example. A failure mode represents a manner of failure that can occur in a task. In each task, each failure mode is checked in a manner described below. Process risk value, check point, and execution time point will be described below.
When instruction information is stored in the instruction storage 2, a schedule constraint creation unit 3 detects a process map and task information that correspond to the process type in the instruction information. Thus, the schedule constraint creation unit 3 includes a process map detection unit. The schedule constraint creation unit 3 creates schedule constraint information from the instruction information, process map and task information, and stores created schedule constraint information in the schedule constraint storage (or information storage) 5.
Initially, in task information for process type 3 (see
Based on the schedule constraint information shown in
Assume that a nurse (whose personnel ID is 123456) carries out the task of “1: confirm instruction” at 14:20 and transmits task information indicating that he has done the task 1 (i.e., task 1 execution information) to the present apparatus using the information terminal 11. An example of task 1 execution information is shown in
Assume that the nurse subsequently completes execution of task “7: start instillation” and transmits task 7 execution information shown in
The process monitoring unit 6 confirms schedule constraint information (see
The error risk evaluation unit 4 references task information for process 3 that is stored in the process storage 1 to obtain process risk values for the failure mode “no confirmation” (i.e., a first risk value) for tasks 3 and 5. The error risk evaluation unit 4 adopts the larger one of the process risk values for the two tasks. In this example, since process risk values for the tasks are “2”, “2” is adopted as process risk value.
The error risk evaluation unit 4 also obtains an instruction risk value (a second risk value) “3” from instruction information (see
The error risk evaluation unit 4 adopts the smaller one of the process risk value and the instruction risk value as error risk value. Since the process risk value is “2” and the instruction risk value is “3”, “2” is adopted as error risk value. The error risk evaluation unit 4 passes the adopted error risk value to an action control unit (or communication control unit) 9. In this example, an error risk value “2” is passed to the action control unit 9. The error risk evaluation unit 4 also passes an error identification value, error task information, and failure mode information received from the process monitoring unit 6 to the action control unit 9.
Here, instruction risk value, process risk value and error risk value will be described. An instruction risk value indicates the maximum risk which the current instruction itself possibly has. For example, when the medicine is a vitamin, failure to give the medicine does not lead to a significant problem. Accordingly, even in the same process, the risk value for giving a vitamin is set to be small and that for giving an anticancer or narcotic drug is set to be large. A process risk value is a value representing the worst risk for a process that is assumed when an error occurs in a task described in task information. Since a process risk value is a risk value for the assumed worst case as just mentioned, it tends to be generally set at a large value regardless of kinds of medicines and so forth. However, a process risk value is advantageous in that it can be set for each task. Thus, this embodiment adopts an error risk value that takes into consideration both the instruction risk value and the process risk value as a final risk value.
The action control unit 9 uses an error risk value passed from the error risk evaluation unit 4 as the risk level to notify details on an error by means of a notification scheme appropriate for the risk level in accordance with the action list shown in
The incident/accident storage 10 receives from the error risk evaluation unit 4 the error identification value, error task information and failure mode information that are obtained by the process monitoring unit 6 as well as an error risk value obtained by the error risk evaluation unit 4, and records them in an incident/accident database.
In this manner, while presence of an error in the order of carrying out tasks is checked based on schedule constraint information, each failure of task with letter “Y” is checked as mentioned above. For task 3, for example, it is checked whether confirmation has been made and whether there has been any mistake in medicine, and whether there has been any mistake in medicine dosage. Failure mode “no confirmation” is detected if confirmation has not been made, failure mode “mistake in medicine” is detected if there has been a mistake in medicine, and failure mode “mistake in dosage” is detected if there has been a mistake in medicine dosage. To check for failure mode, a nurse inputs task execution information (see
A task with mark “◯” in the column of execution time point in task information is checked for whether the task has been finished by its execution scheduled time. In this example, in the schedule constraint information of
In this embodiment, check items associated with a task are items that should be checked for occurrence of any incident/accident with respect to the task. For example, check items for task 7 are whether or not task 7 has been carried out by its execution scheduled time (i.e., whether there is delay in start) and whether task 3 or 5 has been carried out before task 7. Check items for task 3 are whether or not confirmation has been made, whether there is a mistake in medicine, whether there is a mistake in dosage, and whether task 1 has been carried out before task 3. For other tasks as well, check items can be identified in the same manner. It is possible to provide a check item of whether a task has taken more than its required time plus a margin time. Association of a task with check items corresponds to task check information. In this embodiment, task check information is included in task information (e.g., failure mode and “◯” in execution time point) and schedule constraint information (e.g., task conditions).
This embodiment employs the process map shown in
A check point field is prepared for each failure mode, and “Y*” (“*1” indicates a task number) is marked in the check point fields for failure modes in tasks 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9. “Y*” means that a program associated with the failure mode indicated in the same row as Y* will be executed when task execution information for task “*” is input.
A program associated with each failure mode is stored in the check program storage 13. More specifically, a list of check programs that indicate program numbers for failure modes and programs corresponding to the program numbers are stored in the check program storage 13. An example of the list of check programs is shown in
In the task information of
Tasks 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9 that have “Y*” in their check point fields are registered. The execution scheduled time for task 1 that has “Δ” is automatically generated and registered. Automated generation of execution scheduled time for task 9 is made at a point at which task 7 with “◯” is finished.
Describing more specifically, automated generation of execution scheduled time for task 1 (19:00) is made as follows.
In the process map of
On the other hand, if the work flow follows a normal path, it can be seen from task information of
Taking the later of the two times, the execution scheduled time of task 1 is registered as 19:00 as shown in
The process monitoring unit 6 starts up monitoring programs for monitoring execution of tasks 1 and 7 for which execution scheduled times have been registered. If a value has not been described in the execution time field in schedule constraint information by the execution scheduled times (i.e., task execution information has not been received from a nurse), the process monitoring unit 6 calculates an error probability, which will be discussed below, to be 1.0 (or 100%) and identifies an error task and a failure mode. In this example, if task execution information is not input by the execution scheduled time with respect to task 1, the process monitoring unit 6 identifies error task 1 and failure mode of “start delay”. Or if task execution information is not input by the execution scheduled time with respect to task 7, the process monitoring unit 6 identifies error task 7 and failure mode of “start delay”.
The process monitoring unit 6 passes information indicating the calculated error probability, error task information indicating the identified error task, and failure mode information indicating the identified failure mode to the error risk evaluation unit 4.
The error risk evaluation unit 4 determines an error risk value from the process risk value corresponding to the identified failure mode, the instruction risk value described in instruction information, and process risk value priority information shown in
The error risk evaluation unit 4 passes information indicating the determined error risk value, information indicating the error probability, error task information, and failure mode information to a risk level calculation unit 8.
The risk level calculation unit 8 calculates a risk level based on the error risk value and error probability received from the error risk evaluation unit 4. Here, since one error risk value and one error probability are input, the risk level calculation unit 8 calculates the risk level by multiplying them (i.e., error risk value×1.0). The risk level calculation unit 8 passes the calculated risk level, error task information, and failure mode information to the action control unit 9.
The action control unit 9 controls the information terminal 11 in accordance with the action list in
The incident/accident storage 10 records the risk level, the error task, the failure mode, and the error probability to the incident/accident database.
The following description will show other examples of operations after generation of schedule constraint information shown in
At 14:20, a nurse (personnel ID: 123456) finishes task 1 and transmits task 1 execution information shown in
Based on the task 1 execution information, the process monitoring unit 6 records the execution time in schedule constraint information of
Assume that the nurse subsequently finishes task 7 (start instillation) and transmits task 7 execution information shown in
The process monitoring unit 6 references task information of
Tracing the process map (see
a first path that passes through task 6←task 3←task 2←task 1, and
a second path that passes through task 6←task 5←task 4←task 1
In each of the paths, one failure mode with “Y7” marked in the check point field is found. That is, they are “no confirmation” for task 3 and “no confirmation” for task 5.
Tracing the process map from task 7 in the forward direction indicated by the arrows, the path is task 8→task 9. On this path, “Y7” is marked in check point fields for “condition not checked in the first five minutes” and “check not made once in 30 minutes” for task 8.
The process monitoring unit 6 then references the list of check programs stored in the check program storage 13 and starts up a necessary program. That is, it starts up the program 1005 for the failure mode “start delay” for task 7. The process monitoring unit 6 also starts up a program 1001 for failure mode “no confirmation” for tasks 3 and 5. The program 1001 confirms whether the task associated with it have been carried out or not. The process monitoring unit 6 also starts up a program 1006 and a program 1007 in accordance with the two failure modes for task 8, i.e., “condition not checked in the first five minutes” and “check not made once in 30 minutes”.
In the present example, it is detected by the program 1001, which is started up for tasks 3 and 5, that neither of task 3 nor task 5 has been carried out yet before task 7 is carried out. That is, an error of failure mode “no confirmation” is detected for tasks 3 and 5. That is, it is detected that both the first and second paths are not in progress appropriately. Consequently, as information indicating an error probability, error task information and failure mode information, the process monitoring unit 6 generates
error probability 0.5, error task 3, “no confirmation”; and
error probability 0.5, error task 5, “no confirmation”.
Process risk values for failure mode “no confirmation” for tasks 3 and 5 are both “2” (see
The error risk evaluation unit 4 obtains an error risk value “3” by referencing instruction information stored in the instruction storage 2 (see
The error risk evaluation unit 4 passes to the risk level calculation unit 8
error probability “0.5”, error task 3, error risk value “2”, and
error probability “0.5”, error task 5, error risk value “2”.
The error risk evaluation 4 may further pass failure mode information for each of the tasks to the risk level calculation unit 8.
The risk level calculation unit 8 calculates the risk level based on the values input from the error risk evaluation unit 4. In this example, assuming that the expected value of error risk values represents the risk level, the risk level will be (0.5×2)+(0.5×2)=2
Based on the risk level “2” calculated by the risk level calculation unit 8, the action control unit 9 controls the information terminal 11 in accordance with the action list shown in
The incident/accident storage 10 records the risk level, error task, error probability, and failure mode to the incident/accident database.
Assume that the action control unit 9 alerts the nurse's information terminal 11 and the nurse cancels task 7 execution information of
In this case, since task 3 is carried out before task 7 is carried out (task 3 execution information is input by the nurse and its execution time is recorded in schedule constraint information) and task 7 execution information is input before its execution scheduled time, no error is detected. The program 1005 which has been started up for the failure mode “start delay” for task 7 is terminated after the monitoring program for task 7 is stopped. The program 1001 is terminated when it is confirmed whether or not tasks 3 and 5 have been carried out. However, the programs 1006 and 1007 remain started up after task 7 is carried out (i.e., after task 7 execution information is input) for checking the failure mode for task 8. The programs 1006 and 1007 may be started up immediately after task 7 is finished.
The task 7 execution information input from the information terminal 11 is passed to the process monitoring unit 6 via the information collection unit 7. The task 7 execution information shows that the execution termination scheduled time for task 9 which has “Δ” in execution time point is 20:52 (see
After task 7 is finished, the programs 1006 and 1007 check whether task 8 is being appropriately executed using information from the sensor 12. That is, they check failure modes “condition not checked in the first five minutes” and “check not made once in 30 minutes”. The sensor 12 may be an RFID reader, barcode reader, or two-dimensional code reader, and may include a video camera and so forth. Examples of checking by the program 1006 will be shown below in several cases.
Although it is seen from the schedule constraint information of
The information shows that the nurse stays in room A after finishing start of instillation but is acting at a position significantly off the position where he finished start of instillation (12, 3). The program 1006 decides that it cannot determine with the precision of the sensor 12 whether the nurse is doing another job while sometimes watching the patient's condition or does not watch the patient's condition at all, and returns an error probability of 0.5. Accordingly, the process monitoring unit 6 outputs an error probability of 0.5, error task 8, and failure mode “condition not checked in the first five minutes”.
Since the nurse stays at the same position for more than five minutes after finishing start of instillation, the nurse can be estimated to be watching the patient's condition without any problem. Thus, the program 1006 returns an error probability of 0. Accordingly, the process monitoring unit 6 outputs an error probability of 0, error task 8 and failure mode “condition not checked in the first five minutes”.
The cases 1 to 3 described above assume that a nurse who carries out start of instillation is to watch the patient's condition himself. However, if another nurse is allowed to instead observe the patient's condition, it is required to confirm position information also for nurses other than the nurse (personnel ID: 123456). An example of position information for another nurse is shown in
It can be seen from the information that the nurse 123456 who finished start of instillation is not beside the patient who is now getting instillation but another nurse is attending the patient. Accordingly, the program 1006 determines that there is no particular problem and returns an error probability of 0.1. Thus, the process monitoring unit 6 outputs an error probability of 0.1, error task 8, and failure mode “condition not checked in the first five minutes”.
Examples of check items in this embodiment will be shown below. For example, check items for task 7 are whether task 3 or 5 has been carried out before task 7 is carried out and whether the task is finished by its execution scheduled time (i.e., whether delay in start has occurred or not). Check items for task 3 are whether confirmation has been made, whether there is a mistake in medicine, whether there is a mistake in dosage, and whether task 1 has been carried out before task 3. Check items for task 1 are whether the task is finished by its execution scheduled time (i.e., whether there is delay in start or not) and whether confirmation is made or not. Check items can be identified in the same manner for other tasks as well. Association of a task with check items corresponds to task check information. In this embodiment, task check information is included in task information and schedule constraint information.
An execution instruction information that represents an instruction to execute a work is input from an instruction input unit (not shown) (S11).
Each time an instruction to execute a work is input, the schedule constraint creation unit 3 creates schedule constraint information (S12).
Every time a task is carried out, a staff member transmits task execution information and the information collection unit 7 collects the task execution information (S13).
The process monitoring unit 6 records the time at which the task was carried out in schedule constraint information based on task execution information collected by the information collection unit 7 (S14).
The process monitoring unit 6 references the check program storage 13 based on task information and starts up a check program prepared for each failure mode (S15).
The check program started up carries out predetermined check, and terminates if there is no problem or proceeds to the next step if there is a problem (S16).
The process monitoring unit 6 uses information provided by the check program when the problem was found to determine an error probability, an error task, a failure mode and a process risk value (S17).
The error risk evaluation unit 4 references execution instruction information to obtain an instruction risk value, and then uses the instruction risk value and the process risk value to calculate an error risk value (S18).
The risk level calculation unit 8 calculates the risk level based on the error risk value and error probability (S19).
The incident/accident storage 10 records the risk level, error task, error probability and failure mode in the incident/accident database (S20).
The action control unit 9 decides an action to be taken with reference to the prepared action list based on the risk level and controls devices for the action (S21).
As has been described, according to the embodiments of the invention, it is possible to check tasks in a work process from preparation of a medical practice to its execution and to give an alert at an early stage if a problem has occurred or even before a problem occurs so that solution of the problem can be facilitated. Further, degree of effect exerted by an error can be evaluated based on a process risk value, an instruction risk value and so on and intensive measures can be taken for a problem that can have significant effect. In addition, sensor information can be utilized with ease.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-163451 | Jun 2006 | JP | national |
