Healthcare Voice Assistant for PHI-Safe Patient Information Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patients in healthcare facilities often desire information from their clinical records during periods when healthcare team members are not present, and existing solutions fail to efficiently provide this information without diverting the team's attention or compromising privacy.
Innovation Solution
A personal assistant device, such as AMAZON ECHO or GOOGLE HOME, is integrated with a healthcare facility to receive verbal requests for information, verify user identity, and audibly output responses from the electronic healthcare information system (EHIS), ensuring privacy and security protocols are met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a personal assistant device is integrated into the healthcare facility, then patients can access clinical information independently without healthcare team member intervention, but privacy and security concerns related to protected health information (PHI) must be addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The personal assistant device acts as an intermediary between the patient and the electronic healthcare information system. It includes a processor that executes instructions to retrieve PHI from the EHIS, a speaker that audibly outputs the information, and a camera that captures images of persons in the room. The device mediates the interaction by verifying patient identity, determining when PHI can be safely disclosed, and providing information through controlled channels, thus enabling patient independence while managing privacy risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the camera continuously monitors the room environment and feeds this information back to the processor. The processor analyzes the feedback to determine whether persons other than the patient are present, and dynamically adjusts whether to disclose PHI based on this real-time feedback. This feedback loop enables the system to adapt its behavior to maintain security while providing information access.
2Loss of information
If the personal assistant device audibly outputs responses containing PHI, then patient information is readily available, but the presence of unauthorized persons in proximity may compromise security
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system provides continuous feedback on the physical environment to the processor. The processor analyzes this feedback to detect the presence of unauthorized persons and uses this information to control whether the speaker outputs PHI. This creates a dynamic security barrier that adapts to real-time conditions, preventing information leakage while maintaining availability when safe.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on real-time conditions. The processor determines whether to disclose PHI by evaluating the current room environment through camera feedback, and can switch between different operational states (disclosing information vs. withholding information) based on the presence or absence of authorized persons. This dynamic control enables the system to balance information availability with security requirements.
3Loss of information
If traditional computing interfaces are used for patients to access their records, then information can be retrieved, but patients recovering from procedures cannot physically engage with keyboards or mice
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical interface (keyboard, mouse, touchscreen) with an acoustic interface. Instead of requiring patients to physically interact with computing devices, they can speak their information requests to the personal assistant device. The processor converts these acoustic commands into queries of the electronic healthcare information system, eliminating the need for physical engagement while maintaining full information access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The personal assistant device enables patients to serve themselves by automatically retrieving their clinical information from the EHIS without requiring assistance from healthcare team members. The device handles the entire information retrieval process autonomously, from receiving the verbal query to accessing the records and outputting the response, thereby empowering patients to access their own information independently.
4Ease of operation
If healthcare team members are constantly available to assist patients, then patient needs are met, but the healthcare team becomes diverted from critical care tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The personal assistant device enables patients to access their own clinical information independently without requiring healthcare team members to be physically present or actively assisting. The device performs the information retrieval and delivery function autonomously, freeing healthcare team members to focus on critical care tasks while still meeting patient information needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The personal assistant device serves as an intermediary that handles routine information requests between patients and the healthcare information system. By absorbing these routine queries, the device protects healthcare team members from being diverted from their primary care responsibilities, thereby maintaining both patient service quality and healthcare productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices are provided for responding to requests received from users in a healthcare facility, and for generating alerts based upon criticality detected in received verbal utterances. A personal assistant device (PAD) may receive a verbal request for information. The identity of the requestor may be verified and a response to the request may be received by the PAD. In some cases, prior to audibly outputting the response, it may be determined whether the response contains protected health information (PHI). Upon determining that the response contains PHI, the presence of persons other than the patient in proximity to the PAD and/or security of the location of the PAD may be evaluated prior to audibly outputting the response. Additionally, alerts having a heightened criticality may be generated when a received verbal utterance is determined to have a heightened criticality.