Healthcare personal area identification network method and system

• US 20030125017A1
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Stern, Edith H., Willner, Barry E., Yu, Philip Shi-Lung, Greene, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,051,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0028 Body tissue as transmission medium, i.e. transmission systems where the medium is the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system, method, apparatus, and computer program code for delivering a treatment includes generating a personal area network associated with a patient, said personal area network transmitting a patient identifier associated with said patient, retrieving treatment data associated with said patient identifier, and operating a treatment device pursuant to said treatment data.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a treatment, comprising:

generating a personal area network associated with a patient, said personal area network transmitting a patient identifier associated with said patient;

retrieving treatment data associated with said patient identifier; and

operating a treatment device pursuant to said treatment data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said treatment data is stored in at least one of:

a system controller;

said treatment device;

a network device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said patient identifier is encrypted.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said treatment device includes a communications device in communication with a processor for processing data received by said communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said treatment device includes a sensor, said sensor in communication with said processor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said treatment device is at least one of:

a thermometer, an IV, a blood pressure cuff, an EKG, an EEG, a fluid sensor, a food tray, a tray, an operating table, a needle, a patch, a vial, a bottle, a blade, a knife, a scalpel, a clamp, a stent, a prosthesis, a catheter, a tube, an intubator, a medicine bottle, sphygmomenometer, a toxicity screening device, a chemical sensor, a spectrometer, a respiration rate measurement device, an MRI, a CT device, and a diagnostic device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said communication device is adapted to send and receive data over said personal area network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said communication device is adapted to communicate with a controller via a communications network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said controller includes a communications device and a storage device each in communication with a processor, said storage device storing patient data and treatment data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a verification based at least one of said patient identifier and said treatment data, to determine if said treatment can be delivered.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said verification further comprises:

determining if said treatment data is consistent with information about said patient.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said verification further comprises:

determining if said treatment data is consistent with accepted treatment protocols.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said operating said treatment device further comprises operating said treatment device to perform at least one of:

refraining from delivering full treatment;

signaling an alarm;

signaling an alert;

not performing treatment;

modifying treatment;

initiating an application;

initiating a human interaction;

recording initiation of treatment;

recording data;

performing intermediate steps; and

concluding treatment.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

alerting a provider of a condition of said patient.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating, via said personal area network, with a second treatment device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying that said treatment was properly delivered by said treatment device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

forwarding a confirmation to a treatment prescriber indicating that said treatment data was properly delivered.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said personal area network is generated by a transmitter adapted to transmit signals through a body using electrical properties of said body.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitter is configured as at least one of:

a bracelet, a necklace, a card, a ring, and a molecular tag.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a diagnosis of said patient prior to said operating said treatment device.

21. A method for delivering a treatment to a patient, comprising:

detecting, via a personal area network associated with said patient, a patient identifier;

associating said patient identifier with a treatment, said treatment defined by a set of treatment data;

determining if said treatment should be delivered to said patient.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said determining further comprises:

retrieving patient data including medical data regarding said patient; and

comparing said patient data with said set of treatment data to determine if a conflict exists.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

delivering said treatment to said patient.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said delivering further comprises:

operating a treatment device in accordance with said treatment data, and wherein said detecting is performed using said treatment device.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said treatment is selected from the group consisting of:

administering a shot, an oral medicine, an intravenous drip, a cut, an inflation, an electrical impulse, a pacemaker, an electroshock, a catheterization, insertion of a stent, and insertion of a tube.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of said patient data and said treatment data are stored in a device in communication with said treatment device over a communications network.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of said patient data and said treatment data are stored in a network device in communication with said treatment device over said personal area network.

28. A method for delivering a treatment to a patient, comprising:

detecting, using a treatment device, a patient identifier, said patient identifier transmitted over a personal area network associated with said patient;

retrieving patient information associated with said patient identifier; and

forwarding treatment data associated with said patient identifier to said treatment device.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

delivering said treatment to said patient by operating said treatment device pursuant to said treatment data.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said treatment device includes a sensor adapted to detect a condition associated with said patient.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said treatment device is a needle, said sensor is a bar code reader for reading a label of a medication, and said condition is required data on said label.

32. A system for providing health care, comprising:

a personal area network for facilitating communication of data via a patient'"'"'s body, and

an intelligent device for facilitating a health care service via the communication of data.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the intelligent device is a treatment device.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein a cross-check is performed based at least on the patient identifier received via the personal area network prior to initiating an action.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the action is selected from the group consisting of refraining from action, performing treatment, signaling an alarm, signaling an alert, not performing treatment, modifying treatment, initiating an application, initiating a human interaction, recording initiation of treatment, recording data, performing intermediate steps, and concluding treatment.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of an IV device, a blood pressure device, an MRI, an EKG, an EEG, a medicine container, a fluid control device, a pulse measuring device, a thermometer, a sensor, a needle, and a patch.

37. A method of handling data associated with a health care patient, comprising:

associating a patient with a personal area network,

recording data associated with the patient, and

associating the data with a record for the patient in a database.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the data is obtained via the personal area network.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising providing a sensor to sense a condition of the patient, wherein the sensor has a communication facility for communication via the personal area network.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the sensor senses at least one of blood pressure, temperature, pressure, vapor content, moisture, blood oxygen level, blood content, blood alcohol content, toxicity, chemical content, respiration content, food consumption, urine content, waste content, pulse, respiration rate, and electrical activity.

41. A method of facilitating a health care service, comprising:

providing a processor for a personal area network, and

configuring the processor to facilitate communication with an intelligent health care device.

42. A method for treating a patient, including:

generating a personal area network associated with said patient, said personal area network generated by a transmitting device;

establishing communication between said transmitting device and a treatment device via said personal area network; and

transmitting treatment data between said transmitting device and said treatment device.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

determining, by said transmitting device, if said treatment data is treatment data associated with said patient.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

determining, by said transmitting device, if said treatment data is treatment data associated with said patient.

45. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

determining if said treatment data is associated with said patient by comparing a patient identifier associated with said transmitting device with a patient identifier associated with said treatment data.

46. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

determining if said treatment device is appropriate for said patient.