PiHealth Monitoring System

A HIPAA-compliant* remote patient monitoring system that enables healthcare providers to securely access and review patient health assessments based on vital signs data collected through an Oracle Apex front-end application.

Group Project for ISM6106 Systems Design Course - Florida International University

Overview

The PiHealth Monitoring System is a secure, remote monitoring solution that allows healthcare providers to access patient health assessments in a HIPAA-compliant* manner. Patient vital signs are inputted through an Oracle Apex web application front-end, and assessments are automatically generated based on predefined health thresholds. If 3 or more vital signs fall outside the expected normal range, the patient is recorded as "UNHEALTHY"; otherwise, the assessment result is "HEALTHY". These assessment results are stored in the database and presented to providers through the monitoring system. Healthcare providers can then remotely access these assessments through a physical computing device that connects to the Oracle Apex backend via REST API.

Key Features

• HIPAA-Compliant Remote Access*: Secure, encrypted communication between the monitoring device and Oracle Apex backend
• RFID-Based Provider Authentication: Secure provider identification using RFID badge scanning for access control and audit trails
• Real-Time Assessment Display: Physical computing device displays patient assessments in real-time as they are generated
• Provider-Patient Assignment: Providers can view only their assigned patients and their corresponding health assessments
• Assessment Review Workflow: Providers can mark assessments as reviewed, ensuring proper documentation and follow-up
• Visual and Audio Alerts: LED light strip and buzzer provide immediate feedback for unhealthy assessments
• State-Based User Interface: Intuitive navigation using buttons and LCD display for viewing patients and assessments

System Architecture

Front-End (Oracle Apex)

• Web-based interface for entering patient vital signs: Temperature, Heart Rate, Glucose, Oxygen Saturation, Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure, and Respiratory Rate
• Automatic health assessment generation based on vital sign thresholds
• Assessment Logic: If 3 or more vital signs fall outside the expected normal range, the assessment is recorded as "UNHEALTHY"; otherwise, it is recorded as "HEALTHY"
• Secure REST API endpoints for data access

Backend (Oracle Apex REST API)

The system integrates with Oracle Apex REST API endpoints:

• provider/ - Provider information retrieval
• patients/ - Patient data by provider
• rfidtag/ - RFID tag authentication
• assessments - Health assessment data
• provider_reviewed/ - Mark assessments as reviewed

Physical Computing Device (Raspberry Pi Pico)

A physical monitoring device that:

• Authenticates providers via RFID badge scanning
• Retrieves patient and assessment data from Oracle Apex backend
• Displays information on LCD screen
• Provides visual (LED strip) and audio (buzzer) feedback
• Allows navigation through patients and assessments using physical buttons

System Diagrams

Class Diagram

Sequence Diagram

State Diagram

Use Case Diagram

Assessment Logic

The system automatically evaluates patient health status based on vital sign measurements:

• Vital Signs Monitored:
  • Temperature
  • Heart Rate
  • Glucose
  • Oxygen Saturation (Oxygen Sat)
  • Systolic Blood Pressure
  • Diastolic Blood Pressure
  • Respiratory Rate
• Assessment Criteria:
  • If 3 or more vital signs fall outside the expected normal range → Assessment result: "UNHEALTHY"
  • If fewer than 3 vital signs are outside normal range → Assessment result: "HEALTHY"
• Database Storage: Assessment results are stored in the database with timestamps and linked to the corresponding patient and provider
• Provider Notification: Unhealthy assessments trigger visual (red LED) and audio (buzzer) alerts on the monitoring device to draw immediate attention

Project Structure

Group-Written Files

The following files were developed by the project team:

• main.py: Application entry point that initializes and runs the AssessmentController
• AssessmentController.py: Main controller implementing the state machine for user interaction, RFID authentication, patient selection, and assessment display
• modelclasses.py: Data model classes including RFIDTag, Provider, Patients, and HealthAssessments
• DAL.py: Data Access Layer handling all REST API communications with the Oracle Apex backend

Instructor-Provided Files

The following files and libraries were provided by the course instructor:

• Button.py - Button input handling
• Buzzer.py - Audio feedback control
• LightStrip.py - LED strip control
• Displays.py - LCD display management
• RFIDReader.py - RFID tag reading functionality
• StateModel.py - State machine framework
• Counters.py - Timer and counter utilities
• Log.py - Logging functionality
• Net.py - Network connectivity and HTTP client
• Sensors.py - Sensor interface classes
• gpio_lcd.py, lcd_api.py, pico_i2c_lcd.py - LCD display drivers
• mfrc522.py - RFID reader library
• mpu6050.py - Motion sensor library
• secrets.py - Network credentials (WiFi SSID and password)

System Workflow

1. Provider Authentication: Provider scans RFID badge at the monitoring device
2. Authentication Verification: System validates RFID tag against Oracle Apex backend
3. Patient Retrieval: System fetches assigned patients for the authenticated provider
4. Patient Selection: Provider navigates through assigned patients using left/right buttons
5. Assessment Display: Provider views health assessments for selected patient
6. Assessment Review: Provider marks assessments as reviewed, updating the backend database
7. Alert System: Unhealthy assessments trigger visual (red LED) and audio (buzzer) alarms

State Machine

The system operates using a state-based model with the following states:

• INITIAL_SCREEN: Waiting for RFID badge scan
• WELCOME: Displaying authenticated provider information
• FAILED_AUTH: Displaying authentication failure message
• PATIENT_SELECT: Browsing assigned patients
• DISPLAY_ASSESSMENT: Viewing patient health assessments

Hardware Components

• Raspberry Pi Pico: Main microcontroller
• RFID Reader (MFRC522): Provider badge authentication
• LCD Display (I2C): Patient and assessment information display
• LED Light Strip: Visual status indicators (green/yellow/red)
• Passive Buzzer: Audio feedback and alarm system
• Physical Buttons: Navigation controls (left, right, select, back)

Security & Compliance

• HIPAA Compliance*: Secure data transmission and access controls
• Provider Authentication: RFID-based authentication ensures only authorized personnel can access patient data
• Audit Trail: All provider actions are logged and tracked
• Secure Network Communication: Encrypted HTTPS communication with Oracle Apex backend

* Disclaimer: This project is for demonstration and educational purposes only. While the system implements security features and access controls, it is not actually HIPAA-compliant and should not be used in a production healthcare environment. Real HIPAA compliance requires comprehensive security audits, formal compliance certifications, and adherence to all applicable regulations and standards.

Use Cases

• Remote patient monitoring for healthcare providers
• Real-time access to patient health assessments
• Provider workflow management for reviewing patient assessments
• Alert system for critical health status changes
• Secure, compliant access to patient health data

Course Information

Course: ISM6106 Systems Design
Institution: Florida International University
Project Type: Group Project