Stroke Diagnostic Tool for Emergency Dispatch Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Emergency dispatch systems lack the capability to provide detailed medical diagnostics and instructions to dispatchers, who often lack medical training, leading to inadequate assessment and response to emergency medical situations, particularly in cases requiring deeper exploration or clinical diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that assists dispatchers in diagnosing whether a patient has suffered a stroke by presenting pre-scripted interrogatories and a diagnostic tool with a user interface, guiding callers to identify signs and symptoms, and providing input fields for dispatcher-entered information to determine the likelihood of a stroke, generating recommendations for emergency responders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If emergency dispatch systems use basic protocols without medical diagnostics, then the system remains simple and easy to operate, but the diagnostic accuracy and medical assessment quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a computer system as an intermediary between the dispatcher and the diagnostic process. The system includes a protocol module that manages the interrogation flow and a diagnostic module that performs medical assessment based on dispatcher inputs. This intermediary computer system enables medical-grade diagnostic accuracy while keeping the dispatcher's operational tasks manageable through structured guidance and automated analysis.
2Measurement precision
If dispatchers receive comprehensive medical training, then diagnostic capability improves, but the ease of operation and recruitment difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The diagnostic system performs self-service by automatically conducting the medical assessment based on structured inputs from the dispatcher. The computer system includes a diagnostic module that autonomously analyzes the information provided by the dispatcher and generates diagnostic results without requiring the dispatcher to have medical expertise. The system serves itself in the diagnostic function while the dispatcher only needs to follow protocol-guided questioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary diagnostic processing by structuring the information collection phase through pre-scripted interrogatories and organizing patient responses according to medical assessment criteria before the actual diagnostic determination is made. The protocol module prepares and structures all necessary information in advance, so the diagnostic module receives organized data ready for analysis, eliminating the need for dispatcher medical knowledge.
3Measurement precision
If the system collects detailed patient information through systematic interrogation, then diagnostic accuracy improves, but the time required for information gathering increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol module dynamically adapts the interrogation sequence based on patient responses and emerging clinical picture. The system can adjust the depth and direction of questioning in real-time, focusing on the most relevant symptoms and signs for the suspected condition. This dynamic approach enables comprehensive information gathering while minimizing unnecessary questions, optimizing the balance between diagnostic accuracy and call handling time.
Solution Approach 2:
The diagnostic system segments the information gathering process into distinct modules: a protocol module for structured interrogation, a diagnostic module for medical assessment, and a recommendation module for treatment guidance. Each segment handles specific tasks, allowing parallel processing and efficient information flow. The segmentation enables detailed information collection to be distributed across specialized functions rather than requiring one sequential process, reducing overall time while maintaining comprehensiveness.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method to assist an emergency medical dispatcher in responding to emergency calls. A computer implemented emergency dispatch protocol includes interrogatories for a dispatcher to ask a caller to generate an appropriate response. A diagnostic tool is provided to diagnosis as to whether a patient has likely suffered a stroke. The diagnostic tool determines whether the patient has likely suffered a stroke based on caller-relayed information about the patient. The diagnostic tool can be launched automatically by the emergency dispatch protocol, or manually by a dispatcher. The diagnostic tool presents a user interface that provides, among other things, instructions, questions, and input fields.