Conditional Infusion Pump Alarm Forwarding for Remote Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hospitals, the numerous alarms from infusion pumps and other medical devices can be difficult to manage due to their proximity, leading to missed alerts, patient disturbance, and increased risk of contamination through clinician contact, especially when staff is not near the device.
Innovation Solution
A patient care system that includes a dispatching system to manage alarms from medical devices like infusion pumps, forwarding them to appropriate destinations based on predefined rules and algorithms, allowing suppression and acknowledgment, and integrating with monitor/controlling systems for timely notification without requiring clinicians to be near the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If alarms are displayed locally on medical devices, then staff can respond to alarms, but staff must be in close proximity to the device which increases contamination risk
Solution Approach 1:
A wireless communication system acts as an intermediary between the medical device and staff mobile devices. The device transmits alarm data wirelessly to remote mobile devices, allowing staff to respond to alarms without physical contact with the device, thereby eliminating contamination risk while maintaining reliable alarm response
Solution Approach 2:
The alarm notification system transitions from a single spatial location (device display) to multiple spatial locations (remote mobile devices). Alarms are transmitted across different spatial dimensions via wireless communication, enabling staff to receive and respond to alarms from any location within wireless range, eliminating the need for proximity to the device
2Reliability
If multiple devices alarm in close proximity, then monitoring is comprehensive, but it becomes difficult to identify which device is alarming
Solution Approach 1:
The alarm notification system segments alarm information by source device, transmitting distinct alarm data packets from each medical device to mobile devices. Each alarm message contains identifying information about its source device, allowing staff to clearly identify which specific device is alarming even when multiple devices are monitoring the same patient area
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses visual differentiation (analogous to color changes) by displaying unique identifiers, device names, or location information on mobile device screens for each alarm source. This visual segmentation allows staff to quickly distinguish between multiple alarm sources without physical proximity to the devices
3Reliability
If staff respond to alarms by approaching devices, then they can assess the situation, but patient disturbance increases
Solution Approach 1:
Mobile devices serve as intermediaries that deliver complete alarm information to staff remotely. The wireless transmission system conveys all necessary alarm data (type, severity, device status) to staff mobile devices, enabling accurate alarm assessment without staff needing to approach the patient or device, thereby eliminating patient disturbance
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical action of staff physically approaching and assessing devices with electronic information transmission. Alarm data is transmitted digitally to mobile devices, allowing staff to assess alarm situations remotely through electronic communication rather than mechanical proximity, thus avoiding patient disturbance
Data Source
AI summary
A patient care system is disclosed that includes a medical device such as an infusion pump. The medical device generates a data message containing information such as the status of the therapy being delivered, operating data or both. An alarm generating system assesses the data message from the pump and generates an alarm message if certain conditions established by a first set of rules are met. The alarm message is assessed according to a second set of rules as to whether to suppress the alarm message. The data message contains a required input for both the first and second algorithms. A dispatching system is adapted to forward the alarm message to an alarm destination according to a third set of rules. The alarm destination expresses an alarm upon receipt of the alarm message.