System and method for remote tele-health services

• US 10,366,205 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VideoKall, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VideoKall, Inc.
• Inventors: Waterson, Vincent, Sturgess, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Gort, Elaine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Go, John P
• Application Number:
  US14/958,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20160085935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 600300-301
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

A tele-health services cabin includes a plurality of vital signs monitoring devices, a cabin management unit, and videoconferencing hardware via which a remote practitioner in a remote medical call center videoconferences with a patient in the cabin to diagnose symptoms of the patient. The cabin management unit includes a processor that controls the cabin, a data input at which patient data is provided from the vital signs monitoring devices, and a transmitter connectable to a communication link for bi-directional communication between the cabin management unit and the medical call center, where the transmitter transmits the patient data to the medical call center. The tele-health services cabin may include a patient chair including a motorized seat back and at least one sensor encapsulated in the seat back. The tele-health services cabin may include a hands-free medical device station. The tele-health services cabin may include an automatic cleaning system.

Claims

1. A tele-health services cabin comprising:

a medical device station comprising;

an enclosure having a wall, wherein an opening is formed in the enclosure wall;

a medical device disposed behind the enclosure wall that shields the medical device from user contact, wherein a test strip receptacle of the medical device is aligned with the opening, wherein the opening is sized to permit only a user test strip to be inserted through the opening into the test strip receptacle; and

a cabin management unit comprising;

a processor that controls equipment in the cabin;

a data input at which patient data is provided from the medical device;

a data output to control the medical device;

a transmitter connectable to a communication link for bi-directional communication between the cabin management unit and a remote medical call center, wherein the transmitter transmits the patient data to the medical call center;

videoconferencing hardware via which a remote practitioner in the medical call center videoconferences with a patient in the cabin to diagnose symptoms of the patient; and

a bracket having a first movable arm, wherein;

the medical device is mounted on the first movable arm in a horizontal plane in the enclosure, and

the first movable arm is operable to retract the medical device away from the opening and rotate the medical device.

2. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the bracket further comprises a second movable arm operable to press an eject button of the medical device, thereby causing ejection of the test strip.

3. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the medical device is a blood glucose monitor or a cholesterol monitor.