Detecting Unusual Intravenous Infusion Alerting Patterns with Machine Learning Algorithms

To detect unusual infusion alerting patterns using machine learning (ML) algorithms as a first step to advance safer inpatient intravenous administration of high-alert medications.

We used one year of detailed propofol infusion data from a hospital. Interpretable and clinically relevant variables were feature engineered, and data points were aggregated per calendar day. A univariate (maximum times-limit) moving range (mr) control chart was used to simulate clinicians' common approach to identifying unusual infusion alerting patterns. Three different unsupervised multivariate ML-based anomaly detection algorithms (Local Outlier Factor, Isolation Forest, and k-Nearest Neighbors) were used for the same purpose. Results from the control chart and ML algorithms were compared.

The propofol data had 3,300 infusion alerts, 92% of which were generated during the day shift and seven of which had a times-limit greater than 10. The mr-chart identified 15 alert pattern anomalies. Different thresholds were set to include the top 15 anomalies from each ML algorithm. A total of 31 unique ML anomalies were grouped and ranked by agreeability. All algorithms agreed on 10% of the anomalies, and at least two algorithms agreed on 36%. Each algorithm detected one specific anomaly that the mr-chart did not detect. The anomaly represented a day with 71 propofol alerts (half of which were overridden) generated at an average rate of 1.06 per infusion, whereas the moving alert rate for the week was 0.35 per infusion.

These findings show that ML-based algorithms are more robust than control charts in detecting unusual alerting patterns. However, we recommend using a combination of algorithms, as multiple algorithms serve a benchmarking function and allow researchers to focus on data points with the highest algorithm agreeability.

Unsupervised ML algorithms can assist clinicians in identifying unusual alert patterns as a first step toward achieving safer infusion practices.