Inventors:
Jay S. Greenspan - Merion Station PA, US
Thomas L. Miller - Wilmington DE, US
Thomas H. Shaffer - Chadds Ford PA, US
Assignee:
The Nemours Foundation - Jacksonville FL
International Classification:
A61B 5/02, G08B 23/00
Abstract:
A method for maintaining homeostasis for a patient in a health care setting includes the steps of monitoring a physiological parameter and comparing the parameter against an expected parameter range. When it is determined that a difference between the monitored physiological parameter and the expected parameter range presents a patient condition requiring a corrective measure, an alarm warning is presented. The alarm warning has a signature characteristic distinguishing it from other alarm warnings. The alarm warning may be musical and distinguishable based on genre, tempo, loudness, or pitch or, alternatively may be visual. The alarm warning may be adapted to distinguish one patient from other patients. Alternatively, the alarm warning may distinguish differing levels of severity associated with a patient condition of a particular patient or to distinguish between multiple conditions suffered by the same patient.