Automated Insulin Dosing via Dynamic Glucose Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for managing insulin administration in acute care hospitals are prone to human error due to manual calculation of insulin doses using complex paper protocols, leading to safety issues and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a computing device to receive blood glucose measurements from a glucometer, calculate intravenous insulin infusion rates, and adjust the time interval between measurements based on blood glucose percentage drop and drop rate, with optional features for sending insulin rates to an insulin administration device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual calculation of insulin doses using complex paper protocols is used, then flexibility in protocol design is maintained, but accuracy of insulin dosing deteriorates due to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical calculation process with an automated computer-based system. The computing device receives blood glucose measurements, automatically calculates the insulin dose using the specified algorithm (including percentage drop and drop rate calculations), and provides the dose recommendation, eliminating human calculation errors while maintaining the complex protocol logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the glucometer and computing device to automatically perform measurements and calculations without requiring manual intervention for each calculation step. The system autonomously processes blood glucose data, determines dosing intervals based on drop rates, and generates insulin dose recommendations.
2Reliability
If frequent blood glucose measurements are performed to monitor rapid changes, then safety monitoring is improved, but time and resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of measurement intervals based on the calculated blood glucose drop rate. When the drop rate exceeds a threshold, the system automatically shortens the time interval between measurements to increase monitoring frequency. When the drop rate is low, the interval is extended, optimizing resource usage while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors blood glucose measurements and uses feedback from the calculated percentage drop and drop rate to adjust the timing of subsequent measurements. This closed-loop approach ensures that measurements are performed most frequently when safety risks are highest, improving reliability without unnecessary time loss during stable periods.
3Measurement precision
If automated computing device is used to calculate insulin doses, then accuracy of insulin dosing is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The computing device performs multiple functions: it receives blood glucose measurements, calculates percentage drop, determines drop rate, adjusts measurement intervals, calculates insulin doses, and can communicate with insulin delivery devices. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into a single integrated platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary between the glucometer and the insulin administration process. The computing device receives data from the glucometer, processes it through the complex calculation algorithm, and outputs dose recommendations that can be implemented by healthcare providers or automated insulin delivery systems, simplifying the interface while handling complexity internally.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of managing insulin includes receiving blood glucose measurements (BG) on a computing device (112, 132, 142) from a glucometer (124). The blood glucose measurements are separated by a time interval (TNext). The method includes determining, using the computing device, an insulin dose rate (IRR) based on the blood glucose measurements and determining a blood glucose drop rate (BGDropRate) based on the blood glucose measurements and the time interval. The method also includes determining a blood glucose percentage drop (BG%Drop) based on the blood glucose measurements. The method includes decreasing the time interval between blood glucose measurements by the glucometer when the blood glucose drop rate is greater than a threshold drop rate (BGDropRateLimit), and decreasing the time interval between blood glucose measurements by the glucometer when the blood glucose percentage drop is greater than a threshold percentage drop (%DropLow Limit).