Patent ID: 7252637

Claim:
A method of screening for possible onset of sepsis in a patient, comprising: (a) providing a first transducer that automatically measures the heart interbeat interval of such a patient, (b) calculating a value representative of heart rate variability for such a patient, (c) issuing a conditional warning in the event that the calculated value representative of heart rate variability bears a predetermined relationship to a reference value of heart rate variability, (d) providing a second transducer that automatically measures a core temperature of such a patient, (e) providing a third transducer that automatically measures a dermal temperature of the patient, (f) comparing the measured core temperature with the measured dermal temperature, (g) generating an alarm signal in the event that the measured core temperature value bears a predetermined relationship to the measured reference dermal temperature value and the conditional warning was issued in step (c), and (h) if the alarm signal is generated in step (g), testing the patient for onset of sepsis.