Healthcare processing device and display system

Abstract

A processing device and display system supporting a plurality of different modules providing different functions used in delivering healthcare to a patient, includes a patient monitoring module, including a processor, for acquiring and processing signals derived from sensors suitable for attachment to a patient. A patient treatment module, including a processor, supports delivering treatment to the patient using a treatment delivery device. A central processor exchanges data with module processors and processes signals derived from said patient treatment module to support monitoring of patient condition while concurrently monitoring operation of said treatment delivery device in delivering said treatment to said patient.

1 . A processing device and display system supporting a plurality of different modules providing different functions used in delivering healthcare to a patient, comprising: 
 a patient monitoring module, including a processor, for acquiring and processing signals derived from sensors suitable for attachment to a patient;    a patient treatment module, including a processor, supporting delivering treatment to the patient using a treatment delivery device; and    a central processor for exchanging data with module processors and for processing signals derived from said patient treatment module to support monitoring of patient condition while concurrently monitoring operation of said treatment delivery device in delivering said treatment to said patient.    
   
   
       2 . A processing device and display system supporting a plurality of different modules providing different functions used in delivering healthcare to a patient, comprising: 
 a patient monitoring module for acquiring and processing signals derived from sensors suitable for attachment to a patient and at least one second module supporting delivering treatment to the patient using a treatment delivery device, said second module comprising at least one of: 
 (a) a module supporting delivery of anesthesia to a patient;  
 (b) a module supporting ventilation of a patient; and  
 (c) a module supporting infusion pump control;  
 said second module includes a processor supporting operation of functions of said second module; and  
   a central processor for exchanging data with module processors and for processing signals derived from said at least one second module to support monitoring of patient condition while concurrently monitoring operation of said treatment delivery device in delivering said treatment to said patient.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said central processor initiates a stimulus to a patient by temporarily changing operational settings of a treatment delivery device using said at least one second module and by measuring a response to said change by monitoring said derived signals using said patient monitoring module.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said central processor calculates and verifies an acceptable response by comparing a determined patient parameter derived based on said derived signals against a predetermined parameter range.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said central processor supports monitoring operation of said treatment delivery device by at least one of, (a) deriving data, based on combinations of parameters from said patient monitoring module and a second module, for presentation to a user and (b) prompting a user with suggested treatment delivery device configuration settings.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said treatment delivery device is at least one of: 
 (a) apparatus for delivering anesthesia to a patient;    (b) apparatus supporting patient breathing;    (c) an infusion pump device for delivering a fluid infusion to a patient;    (d) an incubator;    (e) a defibrillator;    (f) a warming device;    (g) a diagnostic imaging device;    (h) a photo-therapy device;    (i) a fluid output support device;    (j) a heart-lung support device;    (k) a blood gas monitor;    (l) a controllable implanted therapy device; and    (m) a controllable surgical table and weighing scale.    
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said central processor verifies safety of treatment delivered using said treatment delivery device by receiving data from said treatment delivery device and using said received data in determining whether settings of said device are compatible with a treatment to be delivered to a patient using said device.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said central processor, in response to a determination said settings of said device are incompatible with a treatment, at least one of, (a) automatically alters said settings and (b) initiates generation of an alert message to a user warning of said incompatibility.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said central processor supports monitoring operation of said treatment delivery device by deriving data, based on combinations of parameters from said patient monitoring module and a second module, for presentation to a user.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said central processor manages operation of said treatment delivery device.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said central processor verifies safety of a treatment delivered using said treatment delivery device by comparing patient parameters received, following initiation of delivery of a treatment using said healthcare device, with predetermined parameter value response ranges.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said central processor verifies safety of a modified treatment delivered using said treatment delivery device by comparing patient parameters received, following a change in settings of said device, with predetermined parameter value response ranges.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 2  including a display generator for initiating generation of data representing at least one user interface image including processed signal information of said first and at least one second module.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said central processor configures said at least one second module by communicating configuration parameters to a processor of said at least one second module.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein: 
 said central processor and said display generator are housed in a central unit for adaptively accommodating said at least one second module; and    said at least one second module is removable from said central unit and capable of operation while external to said central unit.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said patient parameters derived using said patient monitoring module include at least two of, (a) a blood pressure parameter, (b) a ventilation parameter, (c) a vital sign parameter, (d) a blood oxygen concentration representative parameter, (e) an infusion pump parameter associated with fluid delivery, (f) a drip medication related parameter, (g) an anesthesiology device parameter and (h) another fluid related parameter.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said patient parameters derived using said patient monitoring module include at least one of, (a) RSVT, (b) NICO, (c) LMC, (d) ALPE, (e) EMG, (f) EIT, and (g) SI.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said patient parameters derived using said patient monitoring module include at least one of, (a) BP, (b) HR, (c) RR, (d) SpO 2 , (e) O 2 , (f) CO 2 , (g) NBP and (h) EEG.  
   
   
       19 . A processing device and display system supporting a plurality of different modules providing different functions used in delivering healthcare to a patient, comprising: 
 a patient monitoring module for acquiring and processing signals derived from sensors suitable for attachment to a patient and at least one second module supporting delivering treatment to the patient using a treatment delivery device, said second module comprising at least one of:    (a) a module supporting delivery of anesthesia to a patient;    (b) a module supporting ventilation of a patient; and    (c) a module supporting infusion pump control;    said second module includes a processor supporting operation of functions of said second module; and    a central processor for exchanging data with module processors and for initiating a stimulus to a patient by temporarily changing operational settings of a treatment delivery device using said at least one second module and by verifying an acceptable response to said change by monitoring said derived signals using said patient monitoring module.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said central processor verifies an acceptable response by comparing a determined patient parameter derived based on said derived signals against a predetermined parameter range.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said patient parameters determined using said patient monitoring module include at least one of, (a) RSVT, (b) NICO, (c) LMC, (d) ALPE, (e) EMG, (f) EIT, and (g) SI.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said patient parameters determined using said patient monitoring module include at least one of, (a) BP, (b) HR, (c) RR, (d) SpO 2 , (e) O 2 , (f) CO 2 , (g) NBP, (h) EEG and (i) blood gas parameters.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said stimulus to said patient comprises at least one of, (a) a medication, (b) a gas administered to said patient, (c) an electrical stimulus, (d) a physical or mechanical stimulus, (e) an application of heat or cold, (f) an acoustic stimulus, (g) a light stimulus and (h) a radiation stimulus.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said central processor initiates generation of a new parameter based on said signals derived using said patient monitoring module.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein said new parameter is associated with at least one of, (a) gas exchange, (b) skin color, (c) haemodynamics, (d) pain and (e) electro-physiology.