Provisioning and controlling medical instruments using wireless data communication
First Claim
1. A wireless transceiver unit for wireless communicating instructions and data between a medical device or electrical monitoring equipment and a data network, the wireless transceiver unit comprising:
- an electronic interface for communication of data collected from a medical device or other electrical monitoring equipment utilizing a predetermined operating control and data communication protocol;
a central processor which converts the data collected from the medical device or other electrical monitoring equipment into signals conforming to a predetermined wireless data communication protocol;
a wireless transceiver for receiving the signals conforming to the predetermined wireless data communication protocol and transmitting the signals to a secure, data network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention teaches a method of automating some of the tasks requiring continuous data collection at the patient bedside in a hospital in a manner which significantly reduces the chances of error in providing treatment. These tasks include provisioning of the IV pumps or other fluid infusion pumps, feed pumps, oxygen delivery systems, gathering, recording, storing, and analyzing signals from ECG machine or pulse oxymeter or any other medical device. This invention teaches the use of wireless transceiver modules which are connected to the data ports on the medical instrument to gather the data and transmit the data to a wireless access point. Protocols to identify the patient, care provider, medicine, equipment, and treatment are described. Use of an external means for verifying the identity of the medical device and the medicine is also described.
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Citations
67 Claims
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1. A wireless transceiver unit for wireless communicating instructions and data between a medical device or electrical monitoring equipment and a data network, the wireless transceiver unit comprising:
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an electronic interface for communication of data collected from a medical device or other electrical monitoring equipment utilizing a predetermined operating control and data communication protocol;
a central processor which converts the data collected from the medical device or other electrical monitoring equipment into signals conforming to a predetermined wireless data communication protocol;
a wireless transceiver for receiving the signals conforming to the predetermined wireless data communication protocol and transmitting the signals to a secure, data network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for wireless communication of collected data between multiple medical and non-medical devices at the bedside of a patient and a data network, the system comprising:
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one or more medical or non-medical data collection devices located within a bedside area network, wherein each of the one or more medical or non-medical data collection devices is equipped with a wireless transceiver apparatus for wireless electronic data communication using a wireless communication protocol; and
a data network which collects data and monitors each of the one or more medical or non-medical data collection devices by communicating with the wireless transceiver apparatus using a wireless communication protocol.
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18. A system for monitoring processes and receiving alarms from medical devices and other monitoring equipment or data collecting sources, the system comprising:
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one or more medical devices such as an IV liquid or nutrient feed or drug pump to be monitored and for providing data, each of the one or more medical devices equipped with an apparatus for electronic data communicating using standard protocols to allow the users to exchange information with these devices over hard wired connections, each of the one or more medical devices further connected to a wireless transceiver unit capable of bidirectional communication with a local communication controller using wireless communication protocol, each of the one or more medical devices further equipped with one or more alternate physical layer identification devices;
optionally, one or more patient monitoring devices such as a blood pressure monitor or ECG connected to the patient, each of the one or more patient monitoring devices equipped with an apparatus for electronic data communicating using standard protocols to allow the users to exchange information with these devices over hard wired connections, each of the one or more patient monitoring devices further connected to a wireless transceiver unit capable of bidirectional communication with a local communication controller using wireless communication protocol, each of the one or more patient monitoring devices further equipped with one or more alternate physical layer identification devices, optionally, one or more bed monitoring devices such as a weight sensor or position sensors connected to the patient'"'"'s bed, each of the one or more monitoring devices equipped with an apparatus for electronic data communicating using standard protocols to allow the users to exchange information with these devices over hard wired connections, each of the one or more bed monitoring devices further connected to a wireless transceiver unit capable of bidirectional communication with a local communication controller using wireless communication protocol, each of the one or more bed monitoring devices further equipped with one or more alternate physical layer identification devices, optionally, one or more environmental monitoring devices such as an air temperature or relative humidity gauges or sound monitors located within the nearby environment of the patient, each of the one or more environmental monitoring devices equipped with an apparatus for electronic data communicating using standard protocols to allow the users to exchange information with these devices over hard wired connections, each of the one or more environmental monitoring devices further connected to a wireless transceiver unit capable of bidirectional communication with a local communication controller using wireless communication protocol, each of the one or more environmental monitoring devices further equipped with one or more alternate physical layer identification devices, optionally, one or more body-worn sensing devices such as one or more electrocardiogram probes connected to the body of the patient, each of the one or more sensing devices equipped with an apparatus for electronic data communicating using standard protocols to allow the users to exchange information with these devices over hard wired connections, each of the one or more body-worn sensing devices further connected to a wireless transceiver unit capable of bidirectional communication with a local communication controller using wireless communication protocol, each of the one or more body-worn sensing devices further equipped with one or more alternate physical layer identification devices, a local communication controller comprising the required hardware and software to communicate with each of the wireless transceiver units according to their respective wireless communication protocols;
a reader for each of the alternate physical layer identification devices, the reader capable of independently communicating the identification of the one or more medical or non-medical data collection devices to the local communication controller for purposes of identification and validation of the one or more medical or non-medical data collection devices; and
an access point for providing a secured gateway for communications directly between a wireless transceiver and a data network, the access point accessed by establishing primary communication with the local communication controller. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of providing a medical treatment comprising the following steps:
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Setting up the medical instruments at the bedside of the patient in a predetermined order, each of the medical instruments equipped with a WTU capable of transmitting certain data wirelessly to connect to the server of a data network in compliance with security protocols of the establishment;
Identifying the care provider to the system by connecting with the server using a browser in a local communication controller using a secure sign-on procedure;
Verifying the identity of the patient to insure that correct treatment will be imparted;
Identifying the details of the physician'"'"'s instructions and the required medical devices to fulfill them at the bedside of the patient;
Authenticating all the medical devices in the bedside area network by the server with an LCC;
Connecting the medical instruments arranged at the patient bedside to the patient according to the physician'"'"'s instructions;
Initiating the medical process either manually by the care provider or upon a command from the LCC to the one or more WTUs connected to the corresponding medical devices while recording the process data to the LCC;
Transferring communication and control of the medical devices completely from the LCC directly through an access point to the wireless data network; and
Delivering process or alarm data from the server to any client device connected to the wireless network, the client devices selected from the group consisting of a desktop notebook, a wireless notebook or a PDA, a pager capable of receiving text or numerical messages, or a cellular phone capable of receiving textual messages. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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41. The method of claim 41, further comprising the following step:
Including the configuration of medical devices with respect to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (40, 42)
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65. A method for provisioning and control of IV pumps using wireless data communication, the method comprising the following steps:
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Providing one or more IV pumps equipped with a WTU capable of transmitting and receiving data over a wireless network having a data server;
Identifying a care provider to the system by connecting with the server using a browser in a local communication controller using a secure sign-on procedure;
Verifying the identity of the patient according to data from the server;
Identifying the details of the physician'"'"'s instructions and the one or more IV pumps required to fulfill the physician'"'"'s instructions at the bedside of the patient;
Authenticating all the one or more IV pumps in the bedside area network by the server with the LCC;
Connecting all the one or more IV pumps arranged at the patient bedside to the patient according to the physician'"'"'s instructions;
Initiating the one or more IV pumps either manually by the care provider or upon a command from the LCC to the one or more WTUs connected to the corresponding medical devices, while recording the process data to the LCC;
Transferring communication and control of the one or more IV pumps completely from the LCC directly through an access point to the wireless data network; and
Delivering process or alarm data from the server to any client device connected to the wireless network, the client devices selected from the group consisting of a desktop notebook, a wireless notebook or a PDA, a pager capable of receiving text or numerical messages, or a cellular phone capable of receiving textual messages.
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66. A protocol for establishing a BAN, such as for using medical instruments communicating using a wireless data network, the protocol comprising the following steps:
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Attaching an AMI tag to each of one or more WTUs;
Programming each of the WTUs with the server, network and AMI identifier;
Attaching each of the WTUs to a different piece of medical equipment or monitoring device to be used in the treatment of the patient;
Powering up each piece of medical equipment or monitoring device at the bedside of the patient;
Initiating and completing secure sign-on and registration of an LCC with the server;
Searching by each of the WTUs on each piece of medical equipment or monitoring device for a wireless network;
Completing secure sign-on by each of the WTUs;
Logging the AMI identifiers and IP addresses of each of the WTUs in a database;
Providing visual or audio confirmation of completing secure sign-on or logging AMI identifiers and IP addresses of each of the WTUs in a database;
Debugging the lost network connection if registration of any one of the WTUs in incomplete;
Sending a list of all registered WTUs from the server to the LCC when registration of all the WTUs is complete;
Prompting the medical staff for AMI entry for all registered WTUs;
Confirming WTU association with the BAN by providing audio or visual indicator;
Assigning a name to the BAN by the server once all of the WTUs at the bedside have been identified;
Entering the patient'"'"'s ID;
Programming the medical devices by the medical staff according to instructions provided by medical physician or other professionals;
Connecting the medical devices to the patient;
Recording the process configuration and operating parameters on the LCC; and
Providing medical treatment or monitoring with the medical devices of the BAN.
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67. A method for moving a patient from one location to another, the method comprising the following steps:
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Logging into the system with a transient LCC;
Obtaining all of the IP addresses of all the WTUs used in the first BAN;
Communicating data to and from the server over a network accessing the network at one or more access points, Storing data locally by the WTUs when the connection to the network is lost during transit;
Forming a BSS with the WTUs as network nodes if connection with the network is unavailable after a predetermined period of time in order to allow the transient LCC to gather data from the WTUs as long as the connection to the network is interrupted and retrieval of the data from the LCC can be made at the destination;
Downloading stored data to the server after achieving a re-connection with the network; and
Continuing to monitor the medical device.
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Specification