Remote psychological evaluation

• US 20050113652A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IZEX Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IZEX Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Stark, John G., Oyen, Duane, Mowery, Blair P.
• Application Number:
  US10/997,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20050113652A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/225 of the fingers, e.g. by monitoring hand-grip force
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6812 Orthopaedic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0134 with two orthogonal pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/016 in standing position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0167 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0125 the device articulating around a single pivot-point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

Instrumented orthoses with more sophisticated structures provide for coordinated support and rehabilitation of complex joints and multiple injured joints. Improved instrumented orthoses can include hinges that can rotate in multiple different planes. Particularly preferred embodiments include a shoulder brace with a hand hold and a lower extremities brace. Preferably, a control unit monitors the output of transducers used to instrument the brace. A patient can be prompted by the control unit for the performance of a variety of different monitored exercises.

Claims

1. An ambulatory medical device comprising a display, an input device, a microprocessor, memory, a download channel with an output portal and software wherein the software executes on the microprocessor to present questions on the psychological state of the patient with answers being input through the input device for storage for subsequent downloading from the output portal.

2. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the display comprises an LCD display.

3. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises a keypad.

4. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor has a deep sleep mode.

5. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor has analog to digital multiplexing capability.

6. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the memory is non-volatile memory.

7. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the output comprises an RS-232 port.

8. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the output comprises an internal modem.

9. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the output comprises a radio transmitter.

10. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the questions relate to pain levels.

11. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the questions relate to the formation of a pain diagram.

12. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the questions relate to depression.

13. The ambulatory medical device of claim 12 wherein a statistical analysis is performed on the depression questions to obtain an objective quantitative measure of depression.

14. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the device is further connected to an orthosis.

15. The ambulatory medical device of claim 1 wherein the device is further connected to a pulse rate sensor, galvanic skin response or a blood pressure sensor.

16. A method for remote evaluation of the psychological state of a patient, the method comprises posing questions to a patient using an ambulatory device comprising a display, an input device, a microprocessor, memory, an output portal and software wherein the software executes on the microprocessor to present questions on the psychological state of the patient with answers being input through the input device for storage for subsequent downloading from the output portal.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the questions relate to pain levels.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the questions relate to the formation of a pain diagram.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the questions relate to depression.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein a statistical analysis is performed on the depression questions to obtain an objective quantitative measure of depression.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the psychological evaluation is coupled with a physiological evaluation.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the physiological evaluation comprises evaluation of the performance of target exercises.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the physiological evaluation comprises pulse measurements.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the physiological evaluation comprises blood pressure measurements.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the physiological evaluation comprises galvanic skin response measurements.

26. The method of claim 16 further comprising modifying a treatment program in response to the psychological evaluation.

27. The method of claim 16 wherein the downloading of important information is performed in a timely way.

28. The method of claim 16 further comprising characterizing the patient'"'"'s answers prior to review by a health care professional.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the characterization is performed on the ambulatory medical device.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the characterization is performed on a central processor.

31. The method of claim 16 wherein detection of specific responses from the patient prompts an instruction to the patient to immediately contact a treatment professional.

32. A method of evaluating a patient'"'"'s mental condition comprising:

collecting answers to a set of questions regarding the patient'"'"'s mental condition using a remote controller programmed to pose the questions and receive the answers; and

evaluation of the answers by a health care professional.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising performing initial analysis of the answers using a computer processor.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the remote controller is operably connected to transducers associated with an orthosis.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the transducers are selected from the group consisting of strain gauges, position sensors, and combinations thereof.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the orthosis comprises a hinge that can rotate in several different planes and a position sensor operably connected to the hinge such that motion can be measured with respect to different rotational motions around the joint, the controller being operably connected to the position sensor to receive signals related to the position of the hinge.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein the orthosis comprises a plurality of hinges such that motions about separate hinges correspond to motions about different joints.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein the controller further processes a signal related to a physiological condition in the patient correlated with stress.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the physiological condition is pulse rate.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the physiological condition is the galvanic skin response.