Wireless medical data communication system and method

• US 20040121767A1
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Simpson, Thomas L. C., Letellien, Laura M., Martucci, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• 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 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system and method for is disclosed for indicating the loss of a wireless communication link within a healthcare facility.

Claims

1. A system for reporting on integrity of a wireless communication link within a healthcare facility comprising:

a module associated with a medication treatment application device, the module having a status information output responsive to a signal output generated by the medication treatment application device;

a wireless remote device within the healthcare facility having a message indicator responsive to the status information output transmitted over the wireless communication link and representative of the signal generated by the medication treatment application device;

software installed on the wireless remote device having a time-out output; and

,

wherein the time-out output indicates loss of the wireless communication link.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the association between the module and the medication treatment application device results in at least some data within the status information output passing through the module.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the medication treatment application device is an infusion pump for administering an infusion to a patient.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the output generated by the medication treatment device includes data related to an alarm condition.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the output generated by the medication treatment device includes data related to an alert condition.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the output generated by the medication treatment device includes data related to an infusion volume rate.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the output generated by the medication treatment device includes data related to time remaining before an infusion bag is emptied.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless remote device is a personal digital assistant.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication link operates within a radio frequency.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the radio frequency is within the 2.4 gigahertz band.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the radio frequency is within the 2.45 gigahertz band.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the radio frequency is within the 5 gigahertz band.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the message indicator is an audible alarm.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the message indicator is a visual display.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the audible alarm produces an audible sound in response to the time-out output.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein an icon responsive to the time-out output is provided on the visual display.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein a pop-up window is provided on the visual display in response to the time-out output.

18. A method for reporting on integrity of a wireless communication link within a healthcare facility comprising the steps of:

generating a status information output responsive to a signal output generated by a medication treatment application device;

operating a message indicator in response to the status information output transmitted over a wireless communication link and representative of the signal generated by the medication treatment application device;

generating a time-out output when the wireless communication link is lost.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of passing at least some data within the status information output through a module associated with the medication treatment application device.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of administering an infusion to a patient with the medication treatment application device.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of including data related to an alarm condition within the signal output generated by the medication treatment device.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of including data related to an alert condition within the signal output generated by the medication treatment device.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of including data related to an infusion volume rate within the signal output generated by the medication treatment device.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of including data related to time remaining before an infusion bag is emptied within the signal output generated by the medication treatment device.

25. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of operating the wireless communication link within a radio frequency.

26. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of operating the wireless communication link within a radio frequency band of 2.4 gigahertz.

27. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of operating the wireless communication link within a radio frequency band of 2.45 gigahertz.

28. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of operating the wireless communication link within a radio frequency band of 5 gigahertz.

29. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of generating an audible sound in response to the time-out output.

30. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of generating a notification on a wireless remote visual display in response to the time-out output.

31. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of modifying an icon on a wireless remote visual display in response to the time-out output.

32. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of generating a pop-up window on a wireless remote visual display in response to the time-out output.

33. A method for reporting on integrity of a wireless communication link within a healthcare facility comprising the steps of:

providing for generating a status information output responsive to a signal output generated by a medication treatment application device;

providing for operating a message indicator in response to the status information output transmitted over a wireless communication link and representative of the signal generated by the medication treatment application device;

providing for generating a time-out output when the wireless communication link is lost.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for passing at least some data within the status information output through a module associated with the medication treatment application device.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for administering an infusion to a patient with the medication treatment application device.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for including data related to an alarm condition within the signal output generated by the medication treatment device.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for including data related to an alert condition within the signal output generated by the medication treatment device.

38. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for including data related to an infusion volume rate within the signal output generated by the medication treatment device.

39. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for including data related to time remaining before an infusion bag is emptied within the signal output generated by the medication treatment device.

40. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for causing a personal digital assistant to generate an audible sound in response to the time-out output.

41. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for causing a personal digital assistant to generate a notification on a wireless remote visual display in response to the time-out output.

42. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for causing an icon on a wireless remote visual display in response to the time-out output.

43. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing for causing a pop-up window to appear on a wireless remote visual display in response to the time-out output.

44. A system for reporting on integrity of a wireless communication link within a healthcare facility comprising:

a wireless remote device within the healthcare facility having a message indicator responsive to status information transmitted over a wireless communication link, the status information responsive to a signal output generated by an infusion pump;

software installed on the wireless remote device having a time-out output; and

,

wherein the time-out output indicates loss of the wireless remote device to receive the status information transmitted over the wireless communication link.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the signal output generated by the infusion pump includes data related to an alarm condition.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the signal output generated by the infusion pump includes data related to an alert condition.

47. The system of claim 44 wherein the signal output generated by the infusion pump includes data related to an infusion volume rate.

48. The system of claim 44 wherein the signal output generated by the infusion pump device includes data related to time remaining before an infusion bag is emptied.

49. The system of claim 44 wherein the wireless remote device is a personal digital assistant.

50. The system of claim 44 wherein the wireless communication link operates within a radio frequency.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein the radio frequency is within the 2.4 gigahertz band.

52. The system of claim 50 wherein the radio frequency is within the 2.45 gigahertz band.

53. The system of claim 50 wherein the radio frequency is within the 5 gigahertz band.

54. The system of claim 50 wherein the message indicator is an audible alarm.

55. The system of claim 44 wherein the message indicator is a visual display.

56. The system of claim 54 wherein the audible alarm produces an audible sound in response to the time-out output.

57. The system of claim 55 wherein an icon responsive to the time-out output is provided on the visual display.

58. The system of claim 55 wherein a pop-up window is provided on the visual display in response to the time-out output.