Computerized contemporaneous process control and quality assurance

{
  "publication_number": "US10318928B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Computerized contemporaneous process control and quality assurance",
  "abstract": "Improved process control systems containing all of the steps of a desired checklist, means for advising the user of the next sequential step to be performed, answering means enabling the user to reply to the message from said advising means, confirming means responsive to a reply from said answering means to confirm that said step has actually been performed, and alarm means requiring a corrective protocol if the reply from said answering means is not positive or if said confirming means finds that said step has not actually been performed.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A process control system configured to determine a checklist has been performed in accordance with a protocol while carrying out a medical process, thereby reducing occurrences of preventable medical errors, the system comprising: a computer including one or more processors, a speaker, and electronic storage, wherein the electronic storage contains a set of sequential steps of the checklist, wherein the set of sequential steps needs to be performed properly to complete the medical process, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: query a user whether the user wishes to initiate verification of the checklist; and responsive to initiation by the user, request individual verifications by the user for completions of individual steps from the set of sequential steps, wherein the individual verifications are requested through one or more of speech, beeping, and vibration; a wearable device configured to be worn by the user and to enable the user to reply via one or more of voice activation, gesture activation, and eye activation to the requests for individual verifications for the individual steps from the set of sequential steps, wherein the wearable device is further configured to record and log one or more of audio, images, and video during the completions of the individual steps for assurance the checklist has been performed in accordance with the protocol; wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive the individual verifications by the user for the completions of the individual steps from the set of sequential steps; determine, based on the received individual verifications, whether the set of sequential steps has been performed in accordance with the protocol; responsive to a determination that the set of sequential steps has not been performed in accordance with the protocol, generate an alert to the user and request verification by the user that a corrective protocol be performed to remedy that the set of sequential steps has not been performed in accordance with the protocol; and responsive to a second determination that the corrective protocol has not been performed, generate a second alert to a supervisory user regarding the determination that the set of sequential steps has not been performed in accordance with the protocol and/or regarding the determination that the corrective protocol has not been performed.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein the corrective protocol includes performance of a set of sequential steps.",
    "3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device includes a microphone.",
    "4. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device includes a camera.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device includes sensors for detecting individual completions of the individual steps from the set of sequential steps.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device is configured to enable the user to reply by recording the user's verbal answer.",
    "7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user is a clinician, and wherein the alert is generated through an audio-visual alarm.",
    "8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, responsive to the determination that the set of sequential steps has not been performed in accordance with the protocol, generate an alert to other persons.",
    "9. The system of claim 1, further comprising: prerequisite verification means, operable after verification of the checklist has been initiated, but before any steps have been performed, to verify that all prerequisites have actually been satisfied.",
    "10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to enable the user to access continuous live support on demand by the user."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention is disclosed in my provisional-application, No. 62/198,081 filed Jul. 28, 2015.\n\nThis invention relates to process control and especially to process control using checklists.\n\nMany processes use checklists to ensure that a desired protocol is followed while carrying out the process. These checklists are often quoted in legal proceedings, to prove that the desired protocols have been performed and to avoid charges of negligence. Unfortunately, checklists are often overlooked, in whole or in part, for various reasons, such as forgetfulness, heavy workload, momentary distraction, and the like. Thus, it is often necessary or desirable to be able to prove that a checklist has been performed, properly and entirely. However, in the past there has been no reliable automated computerized way to perform comprehensive checklist verification, together with logging and saving proof. Furthermore, paper-based checklists and manual entry computerized systems are impractical to use away from a desk or fixed workstation. Thus, none of the prior art in process control has been entirely satisfactory.\n\nThese disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention, and improved process control systems are provided which assure and verify that a checklist has been performed properly and completely, thereby reducing occurrences of preventable errors, such as preventable medical errors.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06Q 10/109",
    "G06Q 10/087",
    "G06Q 10/0877",
    "G08B 21/02",
    "G08B 21/245",
    "G16H 10/60",
    "G16H 20/00",
    "G16H 40/20",
    "G16H 40/63"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06Q 10/08",
    "G06Q 10/10",
    "G08B 21/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Clear Protocol Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Ernest Michael Kestone",
    "Marie De Lourdes Kestone"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-07-08",
  "publication_date": "2019-06-11",
  "grant_date": "2019-06-11",
  "priority_date": "2015-07-28",
  "application_number": "US-201615205733-A",
  "family_id": "66767633",
  "cited_by_count": 33,
  "citations": [
    "US20130006671A1",
    "US20080140444A1",
    "US20100218132A1"
  ]
}