Voice Assistant Patient Request Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Patients in healthcare facilities often face challenges in requesting assistance due to lack of information about who to contact and uncertainty about whether their requests have been received, leading to disruptions in healthcare team workflows and inefficient documentation processes.

Innovation Solution

Utilization of personal assistant devices, such as AMAZON ECHO or GOOGLE HOME, associated with healthcare facility locations to receive and transmit patient requests for assistance, allowing for voice command recognition, response output, and integration with Electronic Healthcare Information Systems (EHIS) for documentation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traditional call buttons or switches are used to indicate patient assistance needs, then patients can request help, but healthcare team members lack information about the nature of the request and must interrupt workflow to investigate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation about patient assistance requestVSAvoidworkflow interruption time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

A communication system with audio recording and transmission capabilities serves as an intermediary between patient and healthcare team member. The system captures the patient's verbal request, transmits it to the team member's device, and eliminates the need for workflow interruption to determine request nature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical call buttons and in-person investigations with an electronic communication system that transmits audio requests digitally. This substitution provides rich information about patient needs without requiring physical presence or workflow disruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of information

If multiple colored buttons are provided to indicate different patient needs, then some information about request nature is conveyed, but patients with limited mobility or dexterity cannot easily operate them

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation about patient assistance requestVSAvoidease of requesting assistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical buttons requiring physical pressing with a voice-based audio communication system. Patients can verbally request assistance without manual dexterity, and the system captures and transmits the full nature of their request.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The audio communication system allows patients to independently convey their needs through speech without requiring interaction with physical interfaces. The system automatically captures, transmits, and routes their requests.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If healthcare team members must physically visit patient locations to address requests, then they can provide assistance, but this creates significant workflow disruption and time loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to address patient requestsVSAvoidtime to address patient requests

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The communication system acts as an intermediary that delivers patient requests directly to team members' devices. Team members can assess and address requests remotely or efficiently, minimizing travel and workflow disruption while maintaining ability to provide assistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of operation

If traditional call systems are used, then patients can request assistance, but they have no way of knowing if their request was received or who is addressing it

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to request assistanceVSAvoidconfirmation of request receipt

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The communication system provides automatic feedback to patients when their audio requests are received and being addressed by healthcare team members. This feedback loop confirms request status without requiring additional patient action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12205716B2Verification management of patient requests for assistance in a healthcare facility

Publication Date: 2025.01.21 CERNER INNOVATION INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for managing patient assistance requests in a healthcare facility, documenting items (e.g., minor, routine, and/or frequently-performed items) in association with a patient's records in an Electronic Healthcare Information System, and cancelling patient requests for assistance. Indications that requests for assistance have been received and/or are being addressed by an appropriate healthcare team member may be audibly output from a speaker associated with a personal assistant device. Healthcare team members may verbally provide items for documentation in association with a patient's medical records, the items for documentation being received by a listening component of a personal assistant device and transmitted to an EHIS for documentation. Healthcare team members may verbally cancel patient requests for assistance upon the healthcare team member addressing the request and, in some instances, verification of the healthcare team member as an approved source for documenting the item(s) in association with the patient.