Method and system for concurrently monitoring multiple obstetrics patients

Abstract

A system, computer program product and method for facilitating concurrent monitoring of multiple obstetrics patients over a data network are proposed. Data conveying pregnancy progression information, including maternal and fetal vital sign information associated with the obstetrics patients, is received and processed to derive criticality levels for the obstetrics patients. As a first feature, notification data related to a particular obstetrics patient may be selectively transmitted to a medical expert based on different conditions including for example an associated criticality level exceeding a threshold and/or receipt of a consultation request. As a second feature, used together or separately from the first, a graphical user interface (GUI) may present a user with an ordered list of obstetrics patients dynamically adaptable based on the criticality levels. The GUI allows a user to select an obstetrics patient from the list and then adapts the GUI to present an expanded set of pregnancy progression information related to the selected obstetrics patient. Optionally, the GUI may also provide a tool allowing the user to cause a notification to be transmitted to a medical expert over the data network.

1 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method for monitoring a set of obstetrics patients over a data network, the set of obstetrics patients including two or more obstetrics patients, the method being implemented by a computer device including one or more processor and a display screen, said method comprising:
 a) receiving electronic notification data associated with a particular obstetrics patient from a clinical monitoring module, the electronic notification data being configured for causing a graphical user interface (GUI) to be displayed on the display screen of the computer device, the GUI including pregnancy progression information elements associated with the particular obstetrics patient, wherein the pregnancy progression information elements form an initial set of pregnancy progression information elements associated with the particular obstetrics patient, said GUI providing a user of the computer device with a user operable control component to enable the user to request additional information associated with the particular obstetrics patient;   b) in response to actuation of the user operable control component by the user of the computer device:
 i) causing a signal conveying a request for additional information to be transmitted from the computer device to the clinical monitoring module; 
 ii) receiving data from the clinical monitoring module over the data network, the data being configured to adapt the GUI displayed on the display screen to present the user with an expanded set of pregnancy progression information elements associated with the particular obstetrics patient. 
   
     
     
         42 . A method as defined in  claim 41 , wherein the user operable control component includes at least one of a hyperlink and a touch sensitive area. 
     
     
         43 . A method as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said user operable control component is a first user operable control component, said GUI providing the user with a second user operable control component to enable the user to establish a communication with a local patient station located in proximity to the particular obstetrics patient. 
     
     
         44 . A method as defined in  claim 43 , wherein the communication established with the local patient station associated with the particular obstetrics patient is one of a telephone call, a video call, an e-mail, an SMS message, an audio alarm and a visual alarm trigger. 
     
     
         45 . A method as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said user operable control component is a first user operable control component, said GUI providing the user with a second user operable control component to enable the user to trigger transmittal of further notification data associated with the particular obstetrics patient over the data network, the further electronic notification data being transmitted to a local patient station located in proximity to the particular obstetrics patient. 
     
     
         46 . A method as defined in  claim 73 , wherein the further electronic notification data conveys at least one of an e-mail, an SMS message, an audio alarm trigger and a visual alarm trigger. 
     
     
         47 . A method as defined in  claim 45 , wherein the further notification data conveys one or more specific requests for medical care in connection with the particular obstetrics patient. 
     
     
         48 .- 72 . (canceled) 
     
     
         73 . A method as defined in  claim 43 , wherein the local patient station located in proximity to the particular obstetrics patient is distinct from said clinical monitoring module and wherein said local patient station is one of a plurality of local patient stations associated to the set of obstetrics patients being monitored over the data network. 
     
     
         74 . A computer device configured for concurrently monitoring a set of obstetrics patients over a data network, the set of obstetrics patients including two or more obstetrics patients, the computer device comprising:
 a) a display screen;   b) one or more processors configured for:
 i) receiving electronic notification data associated with a particular obstetrics patient from a clinical monitoring module over the data network, the electronic notification data being configured for causing a graphical user interface (GUI) to be displayed on the display screen of the computer device, the GUI including pregnancy progression information elements associated with the particular obstetrics patient, wherein the pregnancy progression information elements form an initial set of pregnancy progression information elements associated with the particular obstetrics patient; 
 ii) wherein the GUI provides the user of the computer device with a user operable control component to enable the user to request additional information associated with the particular obstetrics patient; 
 iii) in response to actuation of the user operable control component by the user of the computer device:
 (1) causing a signal conveying a request for additional information to be transmitted from the computer device to the clinical monitoring module; 
 (2) receiving data from the clinical monitoring module over the data network, the data being configured to adapt the GUI displayed on the display screen to present the user with an expanded set of pregnancy progression information elements associated with the particular obstetrics patient. 
 
   
     
     
         75 . A computer device as defined in  claim 74 , wherein the user operable control component includes at least one of a hyperlink and a touch sensitive area on the display screen. 
     
     
         76 . A computer device as defined in  claim 74 , wherein said user operable control component is a first user operable control component, said GUI providing the user with a second user operable control component to enable the user to establish a communication with a local patient station located in proximity to the particular obstetrics patient. 
     
     
         77 . A computer device as defined in  claim 76 , wherein the local patient station located in proximity to the particular obstetrics patient is distinct from said clinical monitoring module and wherein said local patient station is one of a plurality of local patient stations associated to the set of obstetrics patients being monitored over the data network. 
     
     
         78 . A computer device as defined in  claim 77 , wherein the communication established with the local patient station associated with the particular obstetrics patient is one of a telephone call, a video call, an e-mail, an SMS message, an audio alarm and a visual alarm trigger. 
     
     
         79 . A computer device as defined in  claim 74 , wherein said user operable control component is a first user operable control component, said GUI providing the user with a second user operable control component to enable the user to trigger transmittal of further notification data associated with the particular obstetrics patient over the data network, the further electronic notification data being transmitted to a local patient station located in proximity to the particular obstetrics patient. 
     
     
         80 . A computer device as defined in  claim 79 , wherein the further electronic notification data conveys at least one of an e-mail, an SMS message, an audio alarm trigger and a visual alarm trigger. 
     
     
         81 . A computer device as defined in  claim 79 , wherein the further notification data conveys one or more specific requests for medical care in connection with the particular obstetrics patient. 
     
     
         82 . A computer program product, comprising one or more tangible non-transitory computer readable storage media storing computer executable instructions, for monitoring a set of obstetrics patients over a data network, the set of obstetrics patients including two or more obstetrics patients, the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause a computer device including one or more processor and a display screen to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 a) receiving electronic notification data associated with a particular obstetrics patient from a clinical monitoring module;   b) processing the electronic notification data to cause a graphical user interface (GUI) to be displayed on the display screen of the computer device, the GUI including pregnancy progression information elements associated with the particular obstetrics patient, wherein the pregnancy progression information elements form an initial set of pregnancy progression information elements associated with the particular obstetrics patient;   c) presenting a user operable control component on said GUI to enable the user to request additional information associated with the particular obstetrics patient;   d) in response to actuation of the user operable control component by the user of the computer device:
 i) causing a signal conveying a request for additional information to be transmitted from the computer device to the clinical monitoring module; 
 ii) receiving data from the clinical monitoring module over the data network, the data being configured to adapt the GUI displayed on the displayed device to present the user with an expanded set of pregnancy progression information elements associated with the particular obstetrics patient. 
   
     
     
         83 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 82 , wherein the user operable control component includes at least one of a hyperlink and a touch sensitive area. 
     
     
         84 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 82 , wherein said user operable control component is a first user operable control component, said operations comprising presenting a second user operable control component on the GUI to enable the user to establish a communication with a computing device local patient station located in proximity to the particular obstetrics patient. 
     
     
         85 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 84 , wherein the communication established with the computing device local patient station associated with the particular obstetrics patient is one of a telephone call, a video call, an e-mail, an SMS message, an audio alarm and a visual alarm trigger. 
     
     
         86 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 82 , wherein said user operable control component is a first user operable control component, said operations comprising presenting a second user operable control component on the GUI to enable the user to trigger transmittal of further notification data associated with the particular obstetrics patient over the data network, the further electronic notification data being transmitted to a computing device local patient station located in proximity to the particular obstetrics patient. 
     
     
         87 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 86 , wherein the further electronic notification data conveys at least one of an e-mail, an SMS message, an audio alarm trigger and a visual alarm trigger. 
     
     
         88 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 86 , wherein the further notification data conveys one or more specific requests for medical care in connection with the particular obstetrics patient. 
     
     
         89 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 82 , wherein the local patient station located in proximity to the particular obstetrics patient is distinct from said clinical monitoring module and wherein said local patient station is one of a plurality of local patient stations associated to the set of obstetrics patients being monitored over the data network.