Adaptive alarm system

Abstract

Systems and electronic processes for reducing electronic alarms in a medical patient monitoring system. For example, a system for reducing electronic alarms can include an optical sensor and one or more hardware processors in electronic communication with the optical sensor. The one or more hardware processors can be programmed to measure oxygen saturation values of a patient over a first period of time, determine if at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of time exceeds a first alarm threshold, determine whether a first alarm should be triggered based on the determination that the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of time exceeds the first alarm threshold, determine a second alarm threshold to be applied during a second period of time subsequent to the first period of time, the second alarm threshold replacing the first alarm threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for reducing electronic alarms in a medical patient monitoring system, the system comprising:
 an optical sensor configured to transmit optical radiation into a tissue site of a patient and detect attenuated optical radiation indicative of at least one physiological parameter of a patient; and 
 one or more hardware processors in electronic communication with the optical sensor, the one or more hardware processors configured to:
 measuredetermine oxygen saturation values of athe patient over a first period of time; 
 determine ifwhen at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of time exceeds a first alarm threshold;, determine whether a first alarm should be triggered based on the determination that the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of time exceeds the first alarm threshold; 
 determineaccess a second alarm threshold to be applied during a second period of time subsequent to the first period of time, the second alarm threshold replacing the first alarm threshold, wherein the second alarm threshold being determined by:
 comparing at least a first oxygen saturation value obtained during the first time period with a lower limit associated with oxygen saturation; and   computing a second alarm threshold based on the comparison where the second alarm threshold is computed to be at has a value less than the at least first one oxygen saturation value and greater than the a lower limit and at an offset from the first at least one oxygen saturation value, wherein the offset is configured to diminish is diminished as a difference between the at least first oxygen saturation value and the lower limit diminishes;   
 measuredetermine oxygen saturation values of athe patient over the second period of time to determine at least a second oxygen saturation value; and 
 determine whethertrigger a second alarm should be triggered by determining ifbased on at least one value of the oxygen saturation valuevalues obtained duringover the second period of time exceedsexceeding the second alarm threshold and triggering an alarm if it is determined the second alarm should be triggered. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are configured to calculate a first baseline measurement from the measured oxygen saturation values over the first period of time and wherein the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the first period of time corresponds to the first baseline measurement. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are configured to calculate a second baseline measurement from the measured oxygen saturation values over the second period of time and wherein the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the second period of time corresponds to the second baseline measurement. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the lower limit is predefined predetermined and corresponds to a minimum parameter value for oxygen saturation. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to wait for a time delay prior to the triggering of the second alarm, and wherein the time delay is a function of the second alarm threshold. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the time delay decreases as the difference between the at least first oxygen saturation one value and the lower limit diminishes. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first alarm threshold is predetermined. 
     
     
       8. A system for reducing electronic alarms in a medical patient monitoring system including a pulse oximeter in communication with an optical sensor, the system comprising one or more hardware processors configured to:
 measuredetermine oxygen saturation values of a patient over a first period of time; 
 determine if at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of time exceeds a first alarm threshold; 
 determine whether a first alarm should be triggered based on the determination that the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of time exceeds the first alarm threshold; 
 compare at least a first oxygen saturation value obtained during the first time period with a lower limit associated with oxygen saturation; 
 compute access a second alarm threshold based on the comparison; 
 determineapply a time delay based on the computed second alarm threshold, wherein the time delay approaches zero as the first at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of time approaches the lower limit; 
 measuredetermine oxygen saturation values of athe patient over thea second period of time to determine at least a second oxygen saturation valuedifferent from the first period; and 
 determine whethertrigger a second alarm should be triggered by determining ifbased on the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the second period of time exceedsexceeding the second alarm threshold for the time delay and triggering an alarm if it is determined the second alarm should be triggered, 
 where the second alarm threshold is at a value less than the at least one oxygen saturation value and greater than the lower limit and at an offset from the at least one oxygen saturation value, wherein the offset is diminished as a difference between the at least one oxygen saturation value and the lower limit diminishes. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first alarm threshold is predetermined. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the lower limit is predefined predetermined and corresponds to a minimum parameter value for oxygen saturation. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , where the second alarm threshold is computed to be at a value less than the at least first oxygen saturation value and greater than the lower limit and at an offset from the first oxygen saturation value, wherein the offset is configured to diminish as a difference between the at least first oxygen saturation value and the lower limit diminishes. 
     
     
       12. An electronic method for of reducing electronic alarms in a medical patient monitoring system, the electronic method comprising:
 measuring, with a pulse oximeter including a light source, an optical detector and one or more hardware processors configured to receive signals responsive to light attenuated by tissue of a patient, oxygen saturation values of a the patient over a first period of time; 
 determining, using the one or more hardware processors, if at least one oxygen saturation value determined measured over the first period of time exceeds a first alarm threshold; 
 determining whether a first alarm should be triggered based on the determination that at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the first period of time exceeds the first alarm threshold; 
 comparing at least a first oxygen saturation value obtained during the first time period with a lower limit associated with oxygen saturation; 
 computing the applying, using the one or more hardware processors, a second alarm threshold based on the comparison where the second alarm threshold is computed to be at a value (i) less than the at least first an oxygen saturation value and of the patient, (ii) greater than the a lower limit, (iii) and at an offset from the first oxygen saturation value of the patient, wherein the offset is configured to diminish is diminished as a difference between the at least first oxygen saturation value and the lower limit diminishes and wherein the second alarm threshold is configured to be applied during a second period of time subsequent to the first period of time, the second alarm threshold replacing replaces the first alarm threshold; 
 measuring, using the pulse oximeter, oxygen saturation values of a the patient over the second period of time to determine at least a second oxygen saturation value; and 
 determining, using the one or more hardware processors, whether to trigger a second alarm should be triggered by at least determining if at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the second period of time exceeds the second alarm threshold and triggering an alarm if it is determined the second alarm should be triggered. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are configured to calculate the electronic method further comprises, using the one or more hardware processors, calculating a first baseline measurement from the measured oxygen saturation values over the first period of time and wherein the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the first period of time corresponds to the first baseline measurement. 
     
     
       14. The electronic method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are configured to calculate the electronic method further comprises, using the one or more hardware processors, calculating a second baseline measurement from the measured oxygen saturation values over the second period of time and wherein the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained during the second period of time corresponds to the second baseline measurement. 
     
     
       15. The electronic method of  claim 12 , wherein the lower limit is predefined predetermined and corresponds to a minimum parameter value for oxygen saturation. 
     
     
       16. The electronic method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to wait  the electronic method further comprises, using the one or more hardware processors, waiting for a time delay prior to the triggering of the second alarm, and wherein the time delay is a function of the second alarm threshold. 
     
     
       17. The electronic method of  claim 16 , wherein the time delay decreases as the difference between the at least first one oxygen saturation value and the lower limit diminishes. 
     
     
       18. The electronic method of  claim 12 , wherein the first alarm threshold is predetermined.