Patient Management System for Remote Anticoagulation Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for managing long-term anticoagulation patients require frequent visits to laboratories or clinics for prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) measurements, which is inconvenient and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A patient management system with a patient unit that communicates with a remote database for two-way data exchange, allowing for remote monitoring and management of patient encounters, including data retrieval, response storage, and automated generation of encounter instructions and dosage schedules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If frequent visits to laboratories or clinics are required for PT/INR measurements, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but loss of time and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePT/INR monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidtime for clinic visits

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patient performs PT/INR measurements at home using a portable coagulation analyzer, eliminating the need to visit laboratories or clinics. The device is operated by the patient themselves according to instructions received from the healthcare provider,实现 self-service monitoring while maintaining measurement reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

A communication system serves as an intermediary between the patient, the portable coagulation analyzer, and the healthcare provider. The system transmits measurement data automatically and delivers instructions, reducing the need for direct patient visits while ensuring reliable monitoring through continuous data exchange

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If frequent clinic visits are required for PT/INR measurements, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePT/INR measurement precisionVSAvoidease of patient monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patient independently performs measurements using the portable device at home, making the monitoring process convenient and easy to operate. The device is designed for simple patient operation while maintaining clinical-grade measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The communication system automatically transmits measurement data from the portable analyzer to the healthcare provider, eliminating manual data entry and simplifying the patient's operation. The system handles data management and interpretation, making the overall process easier to operate while maintaining precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual phone contact and prescription changes are used, then adaptability to patient needs is improved, but productivity and loss of time deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to patient conditionsVSAvoidefficiency of patient management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The communication system provides automatic feedback by transmitting PT/INR measurement data from the patient's portable device to the healthcare provider. This automated feedback loop enables timely detection of out-of-range values and automatic notification, maintaining adaptability while significantly improving productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-configures alert thresholds and notification protocols before measurements are taken. When measurements are performed, the system automatically compares results against pre-set criteria and initiates appropriate actions, enabling efficient responsive care without manual intervention for each measurement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10779731B2Method and system for monitoring and managing patient care

Publication Date: 2020.09.22 ZIN TECH

AI summary

A patient management system includes a patient unit that obtains results data from a patient device and provides for two-way communication between the patient unit and a remote database. The patient unit can communicate with the remote database to obtain encounter instruction data for a given encounter as well as to send response data for the given encounter. A back office system can also access the database to retrieve the patient data for one or more patient users. The back office system can further add or modify encounter instruction data for use during a next encounter at the patient unit. The back office system can also set a dosage for the patient that can be stored in the remote database and retrieved by the patient unit as part of the given encounter. The back office system may also employ a rules engine that can be programmed according to an established protocol and can automatically generate encounter instructions and dosage information for one or more patient.