Spot check measurement system
Inventors
Muhsin, Bilal • Chandran, Prashanth Rengaswamy • Chinchalkar, Mihir • Iyengar, Prashanth • Al-Ali, Ammar • Rumbaugh, II, Ronald Keith • Pishney, James
Assignees
Publication Number
US-12263018-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-01
Expiration Date
2038-04-27
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Abstract
A portable spot-check system configured to assess the validity of a measured physiological parameter. The spot-check device can take into consideration a variety of factors to determine whether a valid measurement exists. For instance, the considerations can include signal stability, interference, signal IQ, patient movement, sensor position, timing of that measurement, comparison to previous or acceptable measurements, cancellation of measurement by the patient, confidence of the measurement, etc. The spot-check device can track a number of valid measurements. In some instances, the spot-check device is configured to provide a specified number of available measurements. If a valid measurement is recorded, the spot-check device can decrement the remaining number of available measurements.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a portable spot-check measurement system capable of assessing the validity of measured physiological parameters. The system includes a medical device, such as a pulse oximetry monitor, that can process physiological signals from one or more sensors applied to a patient and determine if a valid measurement exists. The device considers various factors in this determination, including signal stability, interference, signal identification and quality (signal IQ), patient movement, sensor position, measurement timing, prior measurements, patient cancellation, and overall confidence in the measurement.
To perform spot-check measurements, the device can process sensor signals, calculate physiological parameter values such as oxygen saturation or pulse rate, and allow either automatic or user-initiated spot-check events, for example, upon sensor disconnection or user input. When a valid measurement is recorded, the device can decrement a count of available spot-check measurements, which is tracked by a credit or token-based mechanism. Invalid signals—such as those with low signal quality or excessive motion—do not reduce the available credits.
Clinicians are enabled to login and perform spot-check measurements using designated user interfaces, with results automatically saved to electronic medical records (EMR) and optionally announced audibly. The system reduces the need for manual charting, frees clinician attention, and streamlines rapid patient assessments. Furthermore, the system can calculate an early warning score (EWS) by aggregating contributor scores from various physiological parameters and output these in an easily interpretable display region, allowing for more efficient clinical responses to patient conditions.
Claims Coverage
The patent claims encompass eight main inventive features around spot-check measurement systems, user workflows, and validation mechanisms.
Detection and handling of snapshot conditions for spot-check measurement
A medical device processes physiological signals from a sensor to calculate multiple physiological parameter values. It detects a snapshot condition, which includes either a determination that the sensor has been disconnected from the patient or a user input to select a snapshot. Upon detecting the snapshot, the device selects the currently displayed physiological parameter value as a spot-check measurement, freezes it on the display, stops further processing of the signal for parameter calculation, and outputs the measurement audibly or visually.
Device lock-in to spot-check mode
The processor is configured to lock the medical device in spot-check mode, ensuring that continuous measurements are not able to be calculated while in this mode.
Trend analysis and manual overwrite functionality
The device can select additional spot-check measurements, output a graph showing trends of these measurements, and provide a user interface control that enables users to overwrite spot-check measurements with manual values.
Multiple parameter handling and EWS calculation
The processor can handle measurements from multiple physiological parameters, select spot-check values upon detecting snapshot conditions, and calculate contributor scores for each. It then derives and displays an early warning score with the contributor scores grouped together, separately from the main measurements.
Automatic update of electronic health records
The hardware processor can access a patient’s electronic health record and update it with spot-check measurements. An alert, potentially in the form of an alert icon, can be output to indicate successful update.
User edit and measurement update capability
The hardware processor is able to receive user indications to edit spot-check measurements and update the measurement values based on user input.
Validity assessment of physiological signals
The processor assesses the validity of the physiological signal before selecting a value as the spot-check measurement. Various quality checks, such as signal IQ, are used to determine appropriateness prior to committing the measurement.
Initialization and spot-check mode workflow
Prior to measurement, the device can output an option to enter spot-check mode. Upon selection, it reboots into spot-check mode and disallows continuous monitoring operations.
In summary, the claims protect a portable medical device and software workflow that enables snapshot-triggered spot-check measurements, enforces mode-based operation, manages trends, supports EWS calculations, allows user editing and validation, integrates with electronic health records, and ensures only valid measurements use system credits.
Stated Advantages
The system permits clinicians to focus on patients rather than manual entry tasks, improving patient care by freeing clinicians from mundane charting and reducing clerical errors.
Automatic saving of spot-check measurements to electronic medical records enables clinicians to spend more time addressing patient needs.
Audible output of parameter measurements allows clinicians to focus on patients instead of continually viewing a display.
Validity checks prevent decrementing usage credits for invalid measurements, increasing measurement reliability and efficient use of device service life or prescriptions.
Grouping contributor scores and early warning scores together on the display enables faster visual recognition of patient condition, supporting rapid clinical decision-making.
The system offers trend graphing for monitoring changes over time, aiding clinicians in identifying and responding to patient deterioration.
Locking the device to spot-check mode (or hybrid modes) improves workflow in scenarios where rapid, single measurements are required across multiple patients.
Documented Applications
Use in hospitals, clinics, or home environments to perform spot-check measurements of physiological parameters for patients, supporting both inpatient and outpatient monitoring workflows.
Deployment on mobile carts or as handheld devices for rapid spot-checks by clinicians across multiple patients in various clinical settings.
Automatic transfer and updating of spot-check measurement data and early warning scores to hospital electronic medical record (EMR) systems.
Calculation and display of early warning scores for use in rapid patient assessment and monitoring, aiding in clinical decision support.
Providing alerts, trend graphs, and contributor scores for vital signs, supporting patient monitoring and alarm systems in healthcare environments.
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