System and method for ad hoc communications with an implantable medical device

• US 20040128161A1
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Manicka, Yatheendhar D., Mazar, Scott T.
• Application Number:
  US10/330,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128161A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• 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 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A system and method for communicating with an IMD implanted within a patient via an advanced patient management system is provided. A determination is made as to whether the patient should be notified prior to communicating with the IMD. If the patient is to be notified prior to communicating with the IMD, one or more actions to be taken may be communicated to the patient. Once the patient has been instructed to take the necessary actions and the actions have been completed, or if the patient need not be notified, a communications link between the patient management system and the IMD may be established. Once the communications link has been established, device parameters and other data may be retrieved from the IMD. Additionally, the device parameters may be modified to suit the patient'"'"'s current medical condition. When the communications session has been completed, the communications link between the patient management system and the IMD is disconnected. The patient may then be notified that the session has completed and instructed to resume their normal activities.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with an implantable medical device implanted within a patient, wherein the implantable medical device is operative to communicate with a patient management system, the method comprising:

determining whether the patient must be notified prior to communicating with the implantable medical device;

in response to determining that the patient must be notified prior to communicating with the implantable medical device, communicating to the patient one or more actions to be taken prior to initiating communication with the implantable medical device;

in response to the completion of the actions, using the patient management system to initiate a communications link with the implantable medical device; and

communicating with the implantable medical device via the communications link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the patient must be notified prior to communicating with the implantable medical device comprises determining whether only a single communications channel exists for communication with both the patient and the implantable medical device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the patient must be notified prior to communicating with the implantable medical device comprises determining whether changes may be made to the implantable medical device during communication with the implantable medical device that may effect the health or well being of the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the patient must be notified prior to communicating with the implantable medical device comprises determining whether the participation of the patient is necessary to establish a communications link with the implantable medical device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating to the patient one or more actions to be take prior to initiating communication with the implantable medical device comprises communicating to the patient an instruction to take special precautions necessary.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating to the patient one or more actions to be take prior to initiating communication with the implantable medical device comprises communicating to the patient an instruction to locate their the implantable medical device proximate to a repeater device necessary to establish communication between the implantable medical device and the patient management system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein communicating to the patient one or more actions to be take prior to initiating communication with the implantable medical device comprises instructing the patient to configure the repeater device for communication with the patient management system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating with the implantable medical device via the patient management system comprises retrieving one or more device parameters from the implantable medical device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein communicating with the implantable medical device via the patient management system further comprises retrieving data stored in the implantable medical device regarding the health of the patient.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein communicating with the implantable medical device via the patient management system further comprises changing the device parameters stored in the implantable medical device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising notifying the patient of the completion of the communication with the implantable medical device.

12. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

13. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 1.