Patient-Assisted Alarm System

A medical monitoring device for providing information about a patient operably connected to the device and soliciting patient assistance in the confirmation of a sensed alarm condition, the device comprising:

• a) an electronic storage medium in which values for alarm thresholds for a number of physiological parameters to be monitored and alarm criteria for the technical criteria for the operation of the device or the sensors are stored;
• b) a central processing unit operably connected to the electronic storage medium and configured to receive incoming data signals concerning the parameters of the patient and incoming data signals concerning technical criteria for the operation of the device or the sensors and to compare the incoming data signals to the alarm limits for the parameters to determine a sensed alarm condition;
• c) one or more sensors operably connected to the central processing unit and adapted to be connected to the patient to obtain and transmit the incoming data signals on the parameters to be monitored from the patient to the central processing unit;
• and
• d) a display operably connected to the central processing unit, the display including a display screen and a user interface configured to enable reactive inputs to be stored in the electronic storage medium, wherein the central processing unit is configured to solicit a response from the patient based on the reactive input in response to and during the sensed alarm condition.