Remote management of therapy programming

• US 10,055,550 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2016
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Goetz, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patton, Amanda
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Philip C
• Application Number:
  US15/162,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20160342762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 607 59
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37254 Pacemaker or defibrillator security, e.g. to prevent or inhibit programming alterations by hackers or unauthorised individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/00 ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to techniques for remote management of information relating to therapy delivered to a patient by an implantable medical device (IMD). A remote monitoring system for therapy programming includes an IMD that delivers therapy, e.g., neurostimulation, drug therapy, or both, to a patient, an external programming device associated with the IMD, such as a patient programmer, and a remote networking device that receives usage information from the external programming device. The external programming device communicates with the IMD via local, wireless communication, and the remote networking device receives usage information from the external programming device via a network. The usage information includes information that relates to use of therapy by the patient, use of features of the external programming device and the IMD, or use of navigation patterns of a user interface of the external programming device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a patient device that records usage information relating to the use, by a patient, of a therapy delivered by an implantable medical device to the patient; and

a remote networking device that receives the usage information from the patient device via a network, wherein the remote networking device analyzes the received usage information, identifies a therapy usage pattern by the patient based on the analysis, and sends a signal to the patient device when the therapy usage pattern indicates a use of the patient device that differs from an expected use, wherein the therapy usage pattern that differs from the expected use indicates at least one of a lack of adjustments to the therapy by the patient, a lack of use of a therapy program, a failure to activate delivery of the therapy to the patient, or an unusual value for a therapy parameter of the delivered therapy.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal indicates a suggested therapy program to define the therapy delivered to the patient by the implantable medical device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal indicates an adjustment to a therapy program that defines the therapy delivered to the patient by the implantable medical device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal causes the patient device to display programming guidance to the patient.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal causes the patient device to display an alert to the patient indicating the use of the patient device that differs from the expected use.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal causes the patient device to display an indication that the patient should visit a clinician.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy usage pattern that indicates a use of the patient device that differs from an expected use comprises a therapy usage pattern that indicates lack of use of the patient device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient device comprises one of the implantable medical device or an external programming device that communicates with the implantable medical device via local, wireless communication.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the usage information relates to at least one of use of program groups by the patient, use of programs by the patient, adjustments to program groups by the patient, adjustments to programs by the patient, or overall use of therapy by the patient.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote networking device presents the usage information to at least one of a clinician, a technician, or a manufacturer of the system.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, at a remote networking device, usage information from a patient device via a network, wherein the usage information relates to the use, by a patient, of a therapy delivered by an implantable medical device to the patient;

analyzing the received usage information;

identifying a therapy usage pattern by the patient based on the analysis;

determining that the therapy usage pattern indicates a use of the patient device that differs from an expected use, wherein the therapy usage pattern that differs from the expected use indicates at least one of a lack of adjustments to the therapy by the patient, a lack of use of a therapy program, a failure to activate delivery of the therapy to the patient, or an unusual value for a therapy parameter of the delivered therapy; and

sending a signal to the patient device upon determining that the therapy usage pattern indicates the use of the patient device that differs from the expected use.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein sending a signal to the patient device when the therapy usage pattern indicates a use of the patient device that differs from an expected use comprises sending a signal that indicates a suggested therapy program to define the therapy delivered to the patient by the implantable medical device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein sending a signal to the patient device when the therapy usage pattern indicates a use of the patient device that differs from an expected use comprises sending a signal that indicates an adjustment to a therapy program that defines the therapy delivered to the patient by the implantable medical device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein sending a signal to the patient device when the therapy usage pattern indicates a use of the patient device that differs from an expected use comprises sending a signal that causes the patient device to display programming guidance to the patient.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein sending a signal to the patient device when the therapy usage pattern indicates a use of the patient device that differs from an expected use comprises sending a signal that causes the patient device to display an alert to the patient indicating the use of the patient device that differs from the expected use.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein sending a signal to the patient device when the therapy usage pattern indicates a use of the patient device that differs from an expected use comprises sending a signal that causes the patient device to display an indication that the patient should visit a clinician.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein sending a signal to the patient device when the therapy usage pattern indicates a use of the patient device that differs from an expected use comprises sending a signal to the patient device when a therapy usage pattern that indicates lack of use of the patient device.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the patient device comprises one of the implantable medical device or an external programming device that communicates with the implantable medical device via local, wireless communication.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the usage information relates to at least one of use of program groups by the patient, use of programs by the patient, adjustments to program groups by the patient, adjustments to programs by the patient, or overall use of therapy by the patient.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting the usage information to at least one of a clinician, a technician, or a manufacturer of the system.