Dialysis apparatus with versatile user interface and method and computer program therefor

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus for performing operation steps of a dialysis process. The apparatus comprises a process controller for controlling the apparatus, monitor process progress of the dialysis process and monitor sensor inputs from sensors of the apparatus, and a user interface, UI, comprising a display, an input device and a UI controller. The UI controller is connected to enable presentation of graphical data on the display. The UI controller is connected to enable user interaction with the graphical data and connected to exchange information with the process controller. The UI controller is configured to represent each of the operation steps by step items. The amount of operation guidance information of an operation step item is selectable by the operator during the dialysis process. A method and computer program are also disclosed.

1 . An apparatus for performing a plurality of operation steps of a dialysis process, said apparatus comprising:
 a process controller for controlling the apparatus to perform the operation steps of the dialysis process, monitor process progress of the dialysis process and monitor sensor inputs from sensors of the apparatus; and   a user interface (“UI”) comprising a display, an input device and a UI controller, wherein the UI controller is configured to (i) enable presentation of graphical data on the display, (ii) enable user interaction with the graphical data and (iii) exchange information with the process controller, wherein the exchanged information is based on the user interaction via the user interface and the process progress of the dialysis process and sensor inputs from the sensors monitored by the process controller, and wherein   the UI controller is further configured to represent each of the operation steps by one or more operation step item, each operation step item being a graphical item suitable to be presented on said display, and wherein an amount of operation guidance information of the one or more operation step item is selectable by the operator during the dialysis process to be in one state among a set of states comprising at least a first and a second state, wherein the second state provides a larger amount of guidance than the first state through the dialysis process, wherein the second state provides detailed guidance through the dialysis process, and wherein the operator is enabled to toggle between the states during the dialysis process.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the toggling is enabled by means of a specific toggle button that is configurable by the user during and through the dialysis process. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the set of states comprises a second state inclined towards patient related information, and/or a second state inclined towards machine related information. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the UI controller is configured to determine available operation steps and/or to assign states of operation steps and operation step items based on the treatment to be performed, and to adapt displaying of the operation step items accordingly. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more operation step items of said operation step items are recommended by the UI controller to be performed next, and are presented with an indicator representing the recommendation, when in a state other than the first state. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the UI controller is arranged to disable selection of the first state based on a determined skill level of the operator to be lower than a threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the operation step items comprises operation substep items that represent substeps of the at least one operation step by at least one of operation guidance, parameter setting and status information, and wherein the UI controller is arranged to enable displaying of the operation substep items upon displaying of the corresponding operation step item when in another state than the first state. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the UI controller is arranged to disable the displaying of a subset of the operation substep items upon displaying of the corresponding operation step item associated with the subset of operation substep items based on an input from the operator when in another state than the first state. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the set of states comprises a third state, wherein the third state provides a larger amount of guidance than the second state through the dialysis process, and at least one of the operation substep items comprises operation substep items on a further level of detail that represent operation substeps on a further level of detail of the at least one substep by at least one of operation guidance, parameter setting and status information, and wherein the UI controller is arranged to enable displaying of the operation substep items on a further level of detail upon displaying of the corresponding operation substep item when in the third state. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the UI controller is arranged to enable the displaying of the operation substep items on a further level of detail upon displaying of the corresponding operation substep item based on an input from the operator, wherein such enabling overrides any corresponding disabling of the displaying of the operation substep items on a further level of detail by the UI controller when in another state than the third state. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the UI controller is arranged to disable the displaying of a subset of the operation substep items on a further level of detail upon displaying of the corresponding operation substep item associated with the subset of the operation substep items on a further level of detail based on an input from the operator when in the third state. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a larger amount of guidance includes more operation step items for an operation step than a lesser amount of guidance. 
     
     
         13 . A method of an apparatus for a dialysis process comprising a plurality of operation steps, the method comprising:
 representing each of the operation steps as an operation step item being a graphical item suitable to be presented on a display of a user interface (“UI”);   enabling (i) one or more of said operation step items of operation steps to be displayed through the UI, and (ii) selection among the operation step items through an input device of the UI;   receiving an input from an operator; and   selecting, during the dialysis process, an amount of operation guidance information for at least one of the operation step items based on the input to be in one state among a set of states comprising at least a first and a second state, wherein the second state provides a larger amount of guidance than the first state through the dialysis process, wherein the second state provides detailed guidance through the dialysis process, and wherein the operator is enabled to toggle between the states during the dialysis process.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the toggling is enabled by means of a specific toggle button that is configurable by the user during and through the dialysis process. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the set of states comprises a second state inclined towards patient related information, and/or a second state inclined towards machine related information. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , comprising determining available operation steps and/or assigning states of operation steps and operation step items based on the treatment to be performed, and adapting displaying of the operation step items accordingly.