Integrating Medical Device Case Files with Patient Care Records

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in efficiently and accurately linking electronic patient care records (ePCR) with medical device case files during patient encounters, particularly in emergency situations, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors in patient care transitions.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for integrating medical device case files with electronic patient care records using a processor to generate search criteria based on charting data, identify matching case files, and create an integrated patient encounter record, utilizing cloud databases and network interfaces for communication and storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If manual linking methods are used to connect ePCR with medical device case files, then system complexity is reduced, but time consumption and error rates increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime to link recordsVSAvoidintegration system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic linking of ePCR and medical device case files using algorithms that match patient identifiers, timestamps, and encounter data without requiring manual intervention. The processor autonomously generates search criteria, queries databases, and integrates records, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring caregiver input for each linkage operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary integration system that acts as a bridge between ePCR systems and medical device case file systems. This intermediary processor translates and reconciles data from different sources, matching records through standardized search criteria involving patient identifiers, timestamps, and encounter parameters, thereby simplifying the overall integration process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If automated search criteria generation is implemented, then integration accuracy improves, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecord matching accuracyVSAvoidprocessing system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The search criteria generation process is segmented into distinct components: patient identifier matching, timestamp validation, encounter type correlation, and device identifier verification. The processor evaluates multiple independent criteria separately and combines them to determine overall record matching accuracy, allowing each segmentation to be optimized independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system generates and evaluates multiple search criteria beyond what would be minimally necessary, including redundant verification of patient identifiers, timestamps, and encounter parameters. This excessive action ensures high matching accuracy by cross-validating multiple data points, even though it increases processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of information

If comprehensive data integration is performed, then information completeness improves, but data transmission load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient data completenessVSAvoidnetwork transmission energy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential and relevant data elements from integrated records for transmission, such as key patient identifiers, critical encounter parameters, and summary statistics. Non-essential redundant data is excluded from transmission, maintaining information completeness for clinical decision-making while reducing network transmission load and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4708327A2Systems and methods of integrating medical device case files with corresponding patient care records
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 ZOLL MEDICAL CORPORATION
  • EP4708327A2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4708327A2 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4708327A2 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

A system for integrating medical device case files with corresponding electronic patient care records (ePCRs) is provided. The system includes a database storing a plurality of medical device case files and at least one processor. The at least one processor receives, from a patient charting device, charting data documented in an ePCR for an encounter with a particular patient, generates a search criterion based at least in part on the charting data, the search criterion including a predetermined relationship between at least one first parameter from the charting data and at least one second parameter associated with a medical device case file, identifies the medical device case file based on the generated search criterion, and generates an integrated patient encounter record including at least a portion of medical device data from the medical device case file and the charting data.