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 obtain cardiac ultrasound information regarding the patient;   b) a database comprising image data categorized according to categories of hemodynamic function; and   c) a controller in communication with the patient interface and database and configured to compare the cardiac ultrasound information to the image data to identify a category of hemodynamic function the cardiac ultrasound information most closely resembles.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising image recognition software the system uses to analyze the cardiac ultrasound information to compare the cardiac ultrasound information to the image data. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the image data comprises video images. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the video images comprise a video loop. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the image data comprises a still video image. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to periodically obtain the cardiac ultrasound information. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to continuously obtain the cardiac ultrasound information. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with contractile function. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein contractile function comprises at least one of the following categories: hyperdynamic; normal; moderately reduced; or severely reduced. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with valvular function. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein valvular function comprises at least one of the following categories: normal; mild regurgitation; moderate regurgitation; or severe regurgitation. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein valvular function comprises at least one of the following categories: normal; mild stenosis; moderate stenosis; or severe stenosis. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with left ventricular contractile function function. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein left ventricular function comprises at least one of the following categories: normal; mildly reduced; moderately reduced; and severely reduced. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with left ventricular filling pressure. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein left ventricular filling pressure comprises at least one of the following categories: low; normal; or elevated. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with pulmonary artery pressure. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the pulmonary artery pressure comprises at least one of the following categories: normal; mildly elevated; moderately elevated; or severely elevated. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with cardiac output. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the cardiac output comprises at least of the following categories: low; normal; or high. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the image data is categorized based on a visual assessment by clinical diagnostic experts in cardiac ultrasound imaging. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the database further comprises an intervening hemodynamic treatment measure correlated with the category of hemodynamic function. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises adjustment of at least one of: preload; afterload; heart rate; or ventricular contractility. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the category of hemodynamic function comprises low cardiac output and high left ventricular filling pressure, and the correlated intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises reducing afterload and reducing preload. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the category of hemodynamic function comprises low cardiac output and normal left ventricular filling pressure, and the correlated intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises reducing afterload and maintaining preload. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the category of hemodynamic function comprises low cardiac output and low left ventricular filling pressure, and the correlated intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises maintaining afterload and increasing preload. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the category of hemodynamic function comprises normal cardiac output and high left ventricular filling pressure, and the correlated intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises maintaining afterload if blood pressure is normal and reducing preload. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the category of hemodynamic function comprises normal cardiac output and normal left ventricular filling pressure, and the correlated intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises maintaining afterload and maintaining preload. 
     
     
         29 . 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. 
     
     
         30 . A method for hemodynamically managing a patient, the method comprising:
 a) obtaining via a patient interface cardiac ultrasound information regarding the patient;   b) accessing a database comprising image data categorized according to categories of hemodynamic function;   c) comparing via a controller the cardiac ultrasound information to the image data stored in the database; and   d) identifying via the controller a category of hemodynamic function the cardiac ultrasound information most closely resembles.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising using image recognition software to analyze the cardiac ultrasound information in preparation for comparing via the controller the cardiac ultrasound information to the image data. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the image data comprises video images. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the video images comprise a video loop. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the image data comprises a still video image. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with contractile function. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein contractile function comprises at least one of the following categories: hyperdynamic; normal; moderately reduced; or severely reduced. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with valvular function. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein valvular function comprises at least one of the following categories: normal; mild regurgitation; moderate regurgitation; or severe regurgitation. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the valvular function comprises at least one of the following categories: normal; mild stenosis; moderate stenosis; or severe stenosis. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with left ventricular contractile function. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein left ventricular function comprises at least one of the following categories: normal; mildly reduced; moderately reduced; and severely reduced. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with left ventricular filling pressure. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein left ventricular filling pressure comprises at least one of the following categories: low; normal; or elevated. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with pulmonary artery pressure. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the pulmonary artery pressure comprises at least one of the following categories: normal; mildly elevated; moderately elevated; or severely elevated. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the categories of hemodynamic function is associated with cardiac output. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the cardiac output comprises at least of the following categories: low; normal; or high. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the image data is categorized based on a visual assessment by clinical diagnostic experts in cardiac ultrasound imaging. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising proposing on a provider interface an intervening hemodynamic treatment measure correlated with the category of hemodynamic function. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the intervening hemodynamic treatment measure is correlated in the database with the category of hemodynamic function. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises adjustment of at least one of: preload; afterload; heart rate; or ventricular contractility. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein, when the category of hemodynamic function comprises low cardiac output and high left ventricular filling pressure, and the proposed intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises reducing afterload and reducing preload. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein, when the category of hemodynamic function comprises low cardiac output and normal left ventricular filling pressure, and the proposed intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises reducing afterload and maintaining preload. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein, when the category of hemodynamic function comprises low cardiac output and low left ventricular filling pressure, and the proposed intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises maintaining afterload and increasing preload. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein, when the category of hemodynamic function comprises normal cardiac output and high left ventricular filling pressure, and the proposed intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises maintaining afterload if blood pressure is normal and reducing preload. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein, when the category of hemodynamic function comprises normal cardiac output and normal left ventricular filling pressure, and the proposed intervening hemodynamic treatment measure comprises maintaining afterload and maintaining preload. 
     
     
         57 . 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. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , 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.