Unified Clinical Protocol Control System for Multi-Vendor Device Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hospitals and ICUs, clinical staff face difficulties interacting with multiple devices from different vendors, each with unique interfaces, making it challenging to perform clinical protocols efficiently and effectively, especially for less experienced users, and requires extensive training and FDA approval for updates.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method using processors to detect clinical protocols and identify required devices, outputting notifications on how to interact with them, allowing control of devices to perform specific actions, thereby simplifying the interaction process across multiple devices without altering existing devices or requiring FDA approval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different medical devices are used to perform a clinical protocol, then the clinical functionality is comprehensive and effective, but the user interface complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central control system that acts as an intermediary between the user and multiple medical devices. This control system provides a unified user interface that manages interactions with various devices (infusion pump, ventilator, monitor, etc.), allowing users to operate multiple devices through a single consistent interface rather than learning each device's unique interface separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed to be universal, capable of interfacing with and controlling multiple different types of medical devices simultaneously. It can detect which devices are present, identify their functions, and integrate them into a single coordinated system for performing clinical protocols, making the system adaptable to various device combinations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If each medical device maintains its own unique interface design, then device independence and vendor flexibility are preserved, but training requirements increase and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system serves as a mediator that translates between the unified user interface and the diverse device-specific interfaces. It maintains device independence by communicating with each device through its native interface while presenting a standardized interface to the user, thus preserving vendor flexibility without sacrificing operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual representation or copy of the clinical protocol workflow that maps to the actual device operations. This allows the unified interface to simulate a consistent interaction model across different devices, reducing training requirements while maintaining the ability to operate diverse equipment.
3Ease of operation
If the user interface is updated or modernized for better user experience, then ease of operation improves, but FDA approval requirements and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed as a separate intermediary layer that can be updated and modernized independently of the medical devices themselves. Since it doesn't directly alter the device hardware or core safety-critical functions, interface updates can be implemented more rapidly without triggering lengthy FDA approval processes for device modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the user interface functionality from the medical device control functionality. This separation allows the interface layer to be independently developed, updated, and modernized without affecting the certified device components, thereby reducing regulatory overhead for interface improvements.
4Reliability
If extensive training is provided for inexperienced users to operate multiple devices, then reliability of operation improves, but time consumption and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system acts as an intelligent intermediary that guides users through clinical protocols with step-by-step instructions and automated device coordination. This reduces the need for extensive training by providing contextual guidance and reducing the cognitive load on users, while maintaining reliable operation through automated error prevention and verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates self-guiding capabilities where the interface automatically provides users with the information and instructions they need to perform operations correctly. The system can detect user actions, provide real-time feedback, and guide users through complex protocols without requiring extensive prior training, thereby improving reliability while reducing training time.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an apparatus (100) for implementing a clinical protocol. The apparatus (100) comprises one or more processors (102) configured to detect that a clinical protocol is to be implemented and identify which of a plurality of devices are required to implement the clinical protocol and one or more actions to perform in connection with the identified ones of the devices to implement the clinical protocol. The one or more processors (102) are configured to control a user interface (104) to output one or more notifications on the manner in which a user is to interact with one or more of the identified ones of the devices and/or control one or more of the identified ones of the devices to cause the one or more identified actions to be performed in connection with the identified ones of the devices to implement the clinical protocol.