Abstract:
A patient and health condition monitoring system comprising:
       a treatment device;   a condition monitor;   a patient care controller, the patient care controller comprising:
           a signal receiver;   a healthcare professional database;   a processing element coupled to the healthcare professional database; and   an alarm generator.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 62/237,036 filed Oct. 5, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth in its entirety. 
     
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In accordance with the invention there is provided a patient and health condition monitoring system ( 10 ) comprising: 
         [0003]    a treatment device ( 20 ) being utilized to treat a patient at a first location, the treatment device including one or more sensors configured to detect and transmit one or more monitoring signals indicating an operational status of the treatment device; 
         [0004]    a condition monitor ( 30 ) coupled to the treatment device, the condition monitor configured to receive and analyze the one or more monitoring signals from the treatment device in order to identify one or more abnormal operational conditions, and in response generate and transmit an alert signal ( 32 ) indicative of the one or more abnormal operational conditions; 
         [0005]    a patient care controller ( 40 ), the patient care controller comprising:
       a signal receiver ( 42 ) configured to receive the alert signal from the condition monitor;       
 
         [0007]    a healthcare professional database ( 44 ) configured to provide information associated with a plurality of healthcare professionals and a respective one or more communication devices ( 50 ) that may be used to communicate with a given healthcare professional; 
         [0008]    a processing element coupled to the healthcare professional database, the processing element configured to analyze the alert signal and determine at least one suitable healthcare professional for responding to the alert signal and further determine a suitable communication device for communicating with the suitable healthcare professional; and 
         [0009]    an alarm generator configured to automatically generate an alarm signal ( 4 ) and transmit the alarm signal to the suitable communication device for the suitable healthcare professional. 
         [0010]    In such a system the patient care controller is typically provided by a server ( 44 ) using Internet Protocol (IP) to communicate with one or more of the treatment device, the condition monitor, and the one or more communication devices, the server located at a second location remote from the first location and Internet Protocol used for performing the transmitting and receiving. 
         [0011]    The patient care controller is preferably provided by a cellular tower ( 80 ) using radio communication ( 32   a,    82 ) to communicate with one or more of the treatment device, the condition monitor, and the one or more communication devices, the cellular tower located a second location remote from the first location and radio communication used for performing the transmitting and receiving 
         [0012]    The patient care controller is preferably coupled to the treatment device and is provided at the first location in close proximity to the condition monitor, the patient care controller being configured to transmit the alarm signal to the suitable communication device for the suitable healthcare professional using Bluetooth or a Personal Area Network (PAN). 
         [0013]    The alarm signal typically comprises one or more of a patient identifier, a treatment device identifier, a treatment location, one or more of the abnormal operational conditions, and an operational history of the treatment device. 
         [0014]    Each communication device typically further comprises a physical alarm device, the physical alarm device configured to receive the alarm signal and automatically trigger one or more of a visual alarm ( 5 ), an auditory alarm ( 6 ), or a haptic alarm ( 6 ). 
         [0015]    The patient care controller is preferably further configured to transmit the alarm signal to each of the one or more communication devices that may be used to communicate with the suitable healthcare professional. 
         [0016]    Typically, an abnormal operational condition is indicated by an operational status of the treatment device that passes a threshold value or falls outside of an expected range of values. 
         [0017]    In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for monitoring a patient or health condition, the method comprising the steps of: 
         [0018]    detecting and transmitting one or more monitoring signals indicating an operational status of a treatment device ( 20 ) being used to treat a patient at a first location, the treatment device including one or more sensors configured to perform the detecting and transmitting; 
         [0019]    receiving and analyzing the one or more monitoring signals from the treatment device in order to identify one or more abnormal operating conditions of the treatment device, the receiving and analyzing performed by a condition monitor ( 30 ); 
         [0020]    in response to identifying one or more abnormal operating conditions, causing the condition monitor to generate and transmit an alert signal ( 32 ) indicative of the one or more abnormal operational conditions; 
         [0021]    receiving the alert signal from the condition monitor at a patient controller ( 40 ) and analyzing the alert signal against a healthcare professional database ( 44 ) containing information associated with a plurality of healthcare professionals in order to determine at least one suitable healthcare professional for responding to the alert signal; 
         [0022]    analyzing the alert signal to determine a suitable communication device ( 50 ) for communicating with the suitable healthcare professional; 
         [0023]    automatically generating an alarm signal ( 4 ) and transmitting the alarm signal to the suitable communication device. 
         [0024]    Such a method preferably further comprises providing the patient controller at a second location remote from the first location and using one or more of a server ( 44 ) and Internet Protocol (IP), and a cellular tower ( 80 ) and mobile radio communication ( 32   a ,  82 ), to perform the transmitting and receiving. 
         [0025]    Such a method can further comprise providing the patient controller at the first location and using one or more of the communication devices and Bluetooth or Personal Area Networks (PANs) to perform the transmitting and receiving. 
         [0026]    In such a method the alarm signal can comprise one or more of a patient identifier, a treatment device identifier, a treatment location, one or more of the abnormal operational conditions, and an operational history of the treatment device. 
         [0027]    Such a method can further comprise notifying the suitable healthcare professional of the alarm signal by receiving the alarm signal at a physical alarm device of the suitable communication device and automatically triggering one or more of a visual alarm ( 5 ), an auditory alarm ( 6 ), or a haptic alarm ( 6 ). 
         [0028]    Such a method can further comprise transmitting the alarm signal to each of a plurality of communication devices that can be used to communicate with the suitable healthcare professional. 
         [0029]    In such a method, the step of identifying one or more abnormal operational conditions typically comprises determining that the operational status of the treatment device has passed a threshold value or falls outside of an expected range of values. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of various embodiments of a communications network by which a health care patient monitor can send status or alarm signals to a remotely located wireless router and data processing server that in turn sends status or alarm signals to a device in the possession or vicinity of a health care provider, the device including an alarm or alert generator that is activated on receipt of the status or alarm signal. 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a health care patient monitor that can send status or alarm signals to a remotely located cell phone signal receiving and sending tower that in turn sends status or alarm signals to a cell phone or other device in the possession or vicinity of a health care provider, the device including an alarm or alert generator that is activated on receipt of the status or alarm signal. 
           [0032]      FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D  are schematic views of a variety of environments and devices that a health care patient is typically associated with in a hospital or health care facility where the devices include a monitor and signal generator that sends a signal to a device in the possession of a health care provider in a remote location, the signal activating an alert or alarm contained within the device such as a cell phone. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    The present invention comprises a system and method that sends an alarm signal to a health care provider or attendant such as a medical nurse or doctor at a location remote from the room or location where a patient who is being watched or treated is located. The alarm signal that is sent alerts the health care provider that a device that is providing the patient with some sort of care has reached a state or condition that requires attention to the device or the patient. As shown in  FIGS. 3A-3D , such devices can include for example (a) an intravenous fluid delivery device or IV pump  200 , (b) a bed  210 , (c) a chair  220 . 
         [0034]    The device that is providing the patient with the subject care is preferably equipped with a sensor that detects when the device has reached a state or condition that requires attention to the patient. In the case of an IV pump  200 , the condition to be monitored can be that the fluid to be delivered to the patient has stopped flowing through the tubing  200   t  that is connected to the patient such as when the pump gets clogged or the supply of fluid runs out ( FIG. 3C ) . In the case of a chair  220 , the condition can be that the patient has gotten out of the chair and is no longer sitting completely on the seat ( FIG. 3B ). In the case of a bed  210 , the condition can be that the patient has gotten out of the bed or is otherwise not completely lying on the mattress of the bed ( FIG. 3A ). 
         [0035]    The device to be monitored,  20 ,  FIGS. 1, 2  is interconnected to a condition monitor  30  that includes a chip or other signal sending device that both detects a preselected condition of the device  20  and sends an electronic or electromagnetic signal  32  to a signal receiver  42  located in a location remote from the room or location where the patient is located such as a nursing station or a cell phone  230  that is remote from the patient&#39;s room. The remotely located signal receiver  42  sends or generates a message to or on a device  50  in the possession or immediate vicinity of the health care provider or activates an alarm on the device  50  that the health care provider is certain to notice. For example, the remote signal receiver  42  can be a receiver contained in a cell phone  230  ( FIG. 3D ) that is carried by a nurse or a wireless router located within normal wireless router range of the location of patients&#39; rooms in a hospital (typically anywhere from about 1-150 feet) or a cellular phone signal tower located outside the hospital building. 
         [0036]    Once the signal receiver  42  receives the signal from the chip or other signal sending device  20 , the signal receiver  42  either sends an electronic message to or activates an alarm contained in a device  50  that the health care provider is either carrying on their person or is located in a location remote from the room where the patient is located at which the health care provider is normally expected to be located while on duty such as a nursing station. 
         [0037]    The chip or other signal sending device  20  is programmed to include signal information that identifies the patient themselves or the location of the patient such as room number and preferably also the identity of the device  30  that is being monitored and also preferably the identity of the condition of the device  30  that is being monitored. 
         [0038]    In one embodiment, all staff on the floor of a health care facility, can receive a text message on their cell phone  230  of the occurrence of the preselected condition of the device  30  being monitored. The primary nurse assigned to taking care of the patient can receive an alarm signal such as beeping or flashing light on the nurse&#39;s cell phone. Once any of the staff takes care of the issue the alarm on the primary nurse&#39;s phone will shut off and the text message will be acknowledged. Unlike the present state of health care systems where devices such as IV pumps, beds and chairs set off an alarm contained mounted on or to the device itself located within the patient&#39;s room, such a system as described herein will: 
         [0039]    1. Improve patient care as everyone can work together to prevent medications from running out or prevent patients from not getting medications when their IV is clogged. 
         [0040]    2. Provide a faster more efficient way to prevent falls by elderly and confused (demented) patients in the hospital. 
         [0041]    3. Eliminate or significantly reduce the sound of loud noises from alarms mounted on or to pumps, beds or chairs that wake patients up or otherwise keep patients from sleeping which is essential to healing and recovery. 
         [0042]    4. Serve to reduce or prevent delirium as many elderly patients can get confused when they can&#39;t sleep leading to increased mortality. 
         [0043]    5. Reduce or prevent potential disputes of malfeasance or malpractice. 
         [0044]    6. Improve patient satisfaction scores. 
         [0045]    When patients are already confused or demented they can&#39;t process an IV alarm and call staff to take care of issues leading to possible complications if they can&#39;t get their intended medications through their IV pump. Currently when a patient&#39;s IV pole is not working, they are expected to ring a call bell to call a secretary on the floor who then pages the patient&#39;s nurse to take care of the issue. 
         [0046]    Current health care systems reward doctors and hospitals for high patient satisfaction scores. If a patient&#39;s IV pole alarms and it takes a long time for a nurse to respond then the perception among patients and families is that they are getting neglected and getting poor care. 
         [0047]    In one embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , the signal generator  20  can generate a long range signal such as an RF frequency signal that can travel typically from about  1  to about 300 feet to a signal receiver  42 . In such an embodiment the remote signal receiver can comprise a wireless router  42  interconnected to an email or text message server  44  that includes programming and intelligence sufficient to identify the condition of the monitor  30  and preferably the location of the monitor  30  or the identity of the patient associated with the monitor  30 . The wireless router  42  is located remotely from the room in which the patient and patient monitor  30  are located, typically at least about 10-200 feet away from the location of the patient. The server  44  receives the signal  32  via the router  44  and is programmed to automatically sends an alert or alarm signal  4  to the device  50 . The device  50  includes a signal receiver  42   a  that receives the signal  4  and activates one or more alert mechanisms such as a speaker  6  or vibrator  6  or a visual display  5  contained within the device  50 . A typical visual display mechanism is a text message display  5  on a cell phone or an email  5  that is displayed on a monitor to a laptop or PC located at a nursing station. The server  44  can be programmed to send the signal  4  or multiple signals  4  to multiple devices  50  such as to one or more cell phones and one or more servers located at one or more nursing stations. The device  50  can receive the signal  4  from the server  44  wirelessly from the router  42  or via a hard wired connection between the server  44  and the device  50 . 
         [0048]    In another embodiment of the invention,  FIG. 1 , the signal sending device can comprise a cell phone signal generator that communicates a signal  32   a  with or to a remotely located cell phone system tower  80  that automatically upon receipt of signal  32   a  sends a cell phone signal  82  to the signal receiver  42   a  of the device  50  such as a cell phone in the possession or vicinity of the health care provider. The tower  80  is typically located in a very distant physical location relative to the room in which the patient is located such as between about 100 feet and about 20 miles away from the location of the patient. Again, the signal receiver  42   a  that receives the signal  82  can activate one or more alert mechanisms such as a speaker  6  or vibrator  6  or a visual display  5  ( FIG. 3D ) contained within the device  50 ,  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0049]    In another embodiment of the invention,  FIG. 2  the chip or other signal sending device  20  can send a signal  32  such as a blue tooth signal directly to a signal receiver  42   a  that is mounted or contained within the device or devices  50  that generate the alert or alarm  3  that is generated by or displayed on the remote device  50 . In such an embodiment the device  50  contains a program or circuit that processes the received signal  32  to cause the alert or alarm or message  3  to be generated or displayed on the device  50 .