A computer-assisted recording, diagnosis and management of the medically ill system for use in the intensive care unit: a preliminary report

Smart alerts: development of software to optimize data monitoring

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Monitoring is useful for vital follow-ups and prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of several events in anesthesia. Although alarms can be useful in monitoring they can cause dangerous user's desensitization. The objective of this study was to describe the development of specific software to integrate intraoperative monitoring parameters generating "smart alerts" that can help decision making, besides indicating possible diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

A system that allowed flexibility in the definition of alerts, combining individual alarms of the parameters monitored to generate a more elaborated alert system was designed. After investigating a set of smart alerts, considered relevant in the surgical environment, a prototype was designed and evaluated, and additional suggestions were implemented in the final product. To verify the occurrence of smart alerts, the system underwent testing with data previously obtained during intraoperative monitoring of 64 patients. The system allows continuous analysis of monitored parameters, verifying the occurrence of smart alerts defined in the user interface.

RESULTS

With this system a potential 92% reduction in alarms was observed. We observed that in most situations that did not generate alerts individual alarms did not represent risk to the patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of software can allow integration of the data monitored and generate information, such as possible diagnosis or interventions. An expressive potential reduction in the amount of alarms during surgery was observed. Information displayed by the system can be oftentimes more useful than analysis of isolated parameters.