Alert & Alarm Management
Overview
The vitalera alarm system automatically evaluates incoming patient observations against configured thresholds and generates alerts for healthcare professionals when clinical intervention may be needed. Alerts apply to any observation type — clinical vitals, fitness metrics, sleep quality scores, or questionnaire results.
Alarm Types
Threshold Alarms
Trigger when a measurement exceeds or falls below defined limits:
- High threshold: Value above maximum (e.g., systolic BP > 180 mmHg, or resting heart rate > 100 bpm for a fitness user)
- Low threshold: Value below minimum (e.g., SpO2 < 90%, or daily step count < 2,000 for an elderly participant)
- Range: Value outside acceptable range
Missing Data Alarms
Trigger when expected measurements are not received within a defined time window. This helps identify patients who may have stopped monitoring.
Configuration
Alarms are configured per care plan and per observation type:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Observation type | Which measurement to monitor (heart rate, BP, etc.) |
| High threshold | Maximum acceptable value |
| Low threshold | Minimum acceptable value |
| Severity | Alert priority level |
| Time window | For missing data alarms |
Alarm Lifecycle
- Triggered: An incoming observation breaches a threshold
- Notified: Healthcare professionals receive the alert
- Classified: Professional reviews and classifies the alarm
- Resolved: Clinical action is taken and documented
API Integration
Alarm state transitions use dedicated action endpoints:
# Classify a detected issue
POST /api/detected-issues/{id}/classify/
# Cancel a detected issue
POST /api/detected-issues/{id}/cancel/
Best Practices
- Set thresholds based on clinical guidelines and patient-specific baselines
- Configure missing data alarms to catch disengaged patients early
- Review and adjust thresholds regularly based on patient trends