Telecentive spirometer
AssigneeOregon Health & Science University
InventorHormozd Bozorgchami
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods to encourage a patient to use an incentive spirometer (IS) device according to the schedule prescribed by a clinician are described. The systems and methods for a clinician-programmable IS device that can automatically monitor patient usage, and, in the event of non-compliance, effect an automatic shutdown of an entertainment device, such as a television in the patient's room. The programmable IS device can provide feedback to the patient when the device is used properly, warnings when the device is under-utilized, and can also save information regarding IS usage history to a storage medium for later review and analysis.
Claims12
A system for encouraging patient compliance with a prescribed pulmonary therapy comprising:
- an incentive spirometer;
- an airflow detection component operatively connected to the incentive spirometer;
- a processing unit coupled to the airflow detection component, wherein the processing unit is programmed to monitor usage of the incentive spirometer and provide an indicator of patient compliance;
- a communication module operatively connected to the processing unit and configured to transmit the indicator of patient compliance;
- a shutoff unit configured to receive the indicator of patient compliance from the communication module and, in the case of patient non-compliance, interrupt power to an entertainment device.
A method for monitoring usage of an incentive spirometer comprising:
- coupling a processing unit with a prescribed usage time interval and a prescribed number of inhalations to be exerted within said time interval to a patient's incentive spirometer;
- initializing an inhalation counter in the processing unit;
- starting a timer in the processing unit;
- continuously monitoring incentive spirometer airflow detector for an inhalation event;
- determining whether a detected inhalation event exceeds a threshold, and if so, incrementing the inhalation counter;
- repetitively comparing elapsed time to the prescribed usage time interval;
- and
- transmitting an instruction, by the processing unit, to a shutoff unit when the elapsed time exceeds the prescribed usage time interval, provided that the value of a usage counter is not equal to or greater than the prescribed number of inhalations, wherein reception of the instruction by the shutoff unit causes interruption of power to an entertainment device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.