Wearable Defibrillator Compliance Monitoring via Network Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patients with increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest often fail to comply with wearing their prescribed wearable cardiac defibrillator systems, leading to potential non-use during critical situations.
Innovation Solution
A data file system and communication network interface is implemented to monitor and enhance patient compliance by tracking wearing history, generating alerts for non-compliance, and allowing healthcare providers and family to view and input data through a communication device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wearable cardiac defibrillator system is prescribed to patients, then their safety and health monitoring is improved, but patient compliance with continuous wearing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by providing real-time monitoring data and compliance information to patients through a communication device. The data file system tracks and stores wearing history, which can be reviewed by patients, healthcare providers, and family members, creating a feedback loop that encourages continued compliance through visibility and accountability.
2Reliability
If continuous monitoring of patient compliance is implemented, then patient safety and treatment effectiveness are improved, but system complexity and data management requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communication device as an intermediary between the wearable defibrillator system and the users (patients, healthcare providers, family members). This intermediary handles data retrieval, display, and management functions, simplifying the interface and reducing the complexity burden on the core medical device while enabling comprehensive compliance monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A data file system includes one or more files about a patient wearing a wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD) system that has been assigned to them. The one or more files contain at least one patient identifier of the patient, compliance data about a history of the patient's wearing the WCD system, and possibly other data. The data file system can be accessed through a communication network when the patient uses a communication device. When so accessed, some of the contents can be viewed on a screen of the device, for example in the form of a website. In embodiments, the health care provider and friends and family can view such data and even enter inputs, which may create a situation that motivates the patient to comply better.