System and method for managing a patient

Abstract

A system for managing a patient is disclosed and can include a patient interface adapted to obtain ultrasound information about the patient, a provider interface adapted to facilitate communication between the system and a provider, and a controller in communication with the patient interface and the provider interface, the controller including a clinical management module adapted to receive the ultrasound information and to recommend a clinical management strategy based upon the ultrasound information. A method of presenting a clinical management strategy is also described including obtaining information regarding a condition of a patient, developing a determinant reflecting the condition, and presenting a user with a clinical management strategy on an output device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for hemodynamically managing a patient, the system comprising:
 a) a patient interface configured to capture first cardiac image data regarding the patient;   b) a database comprising second cardiac image data stored in the database; and   c) a controller in communication with the database and patient interface, the controller configured to compare the first cardiac image data to the second cardiac image data, the controller categorizing the first cardiac image data according to a category of the second cardiac image data the first cardiac image data most closely resembles.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller identifies an intervening hemodynamic treatment measure correlated with the category of the second cardiac image data the first cardiac image data most closely resembles. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a provider interface configured to display the intervening hemodynamic treatment measure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the intervening hemodynamic treatment measure is correlated in the database with the category of the second cardiac image data the first cardiac image data most closely resembles. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises at least one of the following: reducing afterload; maintaining afterload; reducing preload; maintaining preload; increasing preload; or inotropic support. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the category of the second cardiac image data is associated with at least one of the following hemodynamic conditions: low cardiac output; normal cardiac output; low left ventricular filling pressure; normal left ventricular filling pressure; or high left ventricular filling pressure. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the category of the second cardiac image data is associated with at least one of the following hemodynamic conditions: contractile function, valvular function; left ventricular diastolic function; left ventricular filling pressure; pulmonary artery pressure; or cardiac output. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient interface comprises an ultrasound probe and the first cardiac image data comprises a cardiac ultrasound image. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second cardiac image data comprises a cardiac ultrasound image. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second cardiac image data comprises a cardiac ultrasound image. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising image recognition software used to analyze the first cardiac image data. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second cardiac image data comprises video images. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the video images comprise a video loop. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second cardiac image data comprises a still video image. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient interface comprises multiple ultrasound probes configured to be attached to the patient at different spaced-apart cardiac ultrasound windows of the patient. 
     
     
         16 . A method for hemodynamically managing a patient, the method comprising:
 a) capturing via a patient interface first cardiac image data regarding the patient;   b) accessing second cardiac image data that is stored in a database;   c) comparing via a controller in communication with the database the first cardiac image data to the second cardiac image data; and   d) categorizing via the controller the first cardiac image data according to a category of the second cardiac image data the first cardiac image data most closely resembles.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising identifying via the controller an intervening hemodynamic treatment measure correlated with the category of the second cardiac image data the first cardiac image data most closely resembles. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising displaying on a provider interface the intervening hemodynamic treatment measure. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the intervening hemodynamic treatment measure is correlated in the database with the category of the second cardiac image data the first cardiac image data most closely resembles. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises at least one of the following: reducing afterload; maintaining afterload; reducing preload; maintaining preload; increasing preload; or inotropic support. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the category of the second cardiac image data is associated with at least one of the following hemodynamic conditions: low cardiac output; normal cardiac output; high cardiac output; low left ventricular filling pressure; normal left ventricular filling pressure; or high left ventricular filling pressure. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the category of the second cardiac image data is associated with at least one of the following hemodynamic conditions: contractile function; valvular function; left ventricular diastolic function; left ventricular filling pressure; pulmonary artery pressure; or cardiac output. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the patient interface comprises an ultrasound probe and the first cardiac image data comprises a cardiac ultrasound image. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the second cardiac image data comprises a cardiac ultrasound image. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second cardiac image data comprises a cardiac ultrasound image. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the comparison of step c) comprises using image recognition software to analyze the first cardiac image data. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second cardiac image data comprises video images. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the video images comprise a video loop. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second cardiac image data comprises a still video image. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient interface comprises first and second ultrasound probes and wherein the method further comprises attaching the first ultrasound probe to the patient at a first cardiac ultrasound window of the patient and attaching the second cardiac ultrasound probe to the patient at a second cardiac ultrasound window, the first and second cardiac ultrasound windows being spaced-apart from each other, and the first and second ultrasound probes being attached to the patient over a common time period. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the first cardiac ultrasound window comprises one of a transthoracic parasternal window, a transthoracic apical window, a sub-costal window, or a suprasternal notch window, and the second cardiac ultrasound window comprises one of the transthoracic parasternal window, the transthoracic apical window, the sub-costal window, or the suprasternal notch window that is not the first cardiac ultrasound window.