SURROGATE MEASURE OF PATIENT COMPLIANCE

• US 20080161651A1
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Carlson, Gerrard M., Sachanandani, Haresh G., Sweeney, Robert J., Siejko, Krzysztof Z., Peterson, Jon, Cazares, Shelley, Stalsberg, Kevin J.
• Application Number:
  US11/616,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20080161651A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for measuring patient compliance. A method comprises detecting or receiving one or more first indications of a first action, the first action being consciously initiated by a patient in response to a request or instruction; and analyzing the first indications to calculate a first surrogate measurement of patient compliance that represents the patient'"'"'s ability to follow the request or instruction.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting or receiving one or more first indications of a first action, the first action being consciously initiated by a patient in response to a request or instruction; and

analyzing the first indications to calculate a first surrogate measurement of patient compliance that represents the patient'"'"'s ability to follow the request or instruction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action is not a required part of a therapy regimen for the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the surrogate measurement of patient compliance uses one or more of a frequency of the first action, a timing of the first action, or an evaluation of a technique of the first action.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action includes an action that was requested to be performed at a particular time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action includes an action that was requested to be performed in a particular manner.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action includes an action that was requested to be performed with a particular recurrence.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

detecting the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to be below a threshold value of patient compliance; and

communicating an alert in response to the detection.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

flagging patient data that was sensed, collected, or obtained when the patient compliance is below the threshold value.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

detecting the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to be outside of a range of values bounded by one or more threshold values of patient compliance; and

communicating an alert in response to the detection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first indication is performed using an implanted medical device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first indication is performed using an external sensor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the external sensor includes one or more of a weight scale, a blood pressure cuff, a peak flow monitor, a glucose monitor, an oxygen saturation monitor, an electrocardiogram monitor, or an interrogatory device.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising:

recording the first indication in a patient history record; and

using the patient history record to analyze one or more trends of one or more recorded patient indications.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the patient record is stored in a central data store.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising using the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to characterize a patient into a class of compliancy.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a second indication of a second action, wherein the second action is consciously initiated by the patient in response to a second request or instruction, and wherein the second action is not a required part of the therapy regimen for the patient, and wherein the second action is different than the first action;

recording the second indication in a patient history record; and

analyzing the patient history record to calculate a second surrogate measurement of patient compliance using at least the first indication and the second indication.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein analyzing the patient history record includes using a weighted function.

18. The method of claim 1, comprising using the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to detect or predict a worsening health condition.

19. The method of claim 1, comprising using the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to detect or predict heart failure decompensation.

20. The method of claim 1, comprising using the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to determine an appropriate therapy.

21. The method of claim 1, comprising using the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to determine a likelihood of death of the patient in a timeframe.

22. The method of claim 1, comprising using the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to determine a likelihood of a change in quality of life of the patient in a timeframe.

23. A system comprising:

a patient device comprising;

a detection module adapted to detect or receive one or more first indications of a first action, the first action being consciously initiated by a patient in response to a request or instruction; and

a first communication module adapted to communicate the first indications to a computing device; and

the computing device comprising;

a second communication module adapted to receive the first indications; and

an analysis module adapted to analyze the first indications to calculate a first surrogate measurement of patient compliance that represents the patient'"'"'s ability to follow the request or instruction, wherein the first action is not a required part of a therapy regimen for the patient.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the analysis module is adapted to use one or more of a frequency of the first action, a timing of the first action, or an evaluation of a technique of the first action when calculating the surrogate measurement of patient compliance.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the analysis module is adapted to detect the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to be below a threshold value of patient compliance;

and wherein the second communication module is adapted to communicate an alert in response to the detection.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the analysis module is adapted to detect the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to be outside of a range of values bounded by one or more threshold values of patient compliance;

and wherein the second communication module is adapted to communicate an alert in response to the detection.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the patient device includes an implanted medical device.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the patient device includes an external sensor.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the external sensor includes one or more of a weight scale, a blood pressure cuff, a peak flow monitor, a glucose monitor, an oxygen saturation monitor, an electrocardiogram monitor, or an interrogatory device.

30. The system of claim 23, comprising:

a storage device adapted to store a patient history record;

and wherein the analysis module is adapted to;

record the first indication in the patient history record; and

use the patient history record to analyze one or more trends of one or more recorded patient indications.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the analysis module is adapted to use a weighted function when analyzing the patient history record.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the analysis module is adapted to use the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to detect or predict a worsening health condition.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the analysis module is adapted to use the surrogate measurement of patient compliance to detect or predict heart failure decompensation.

34. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting or receiving one or more first indications of a first action, the first action being consciously initiated by a patient in response to a request or instruction; and

means for analyzing the first indications to calculate a first surrogate measurement of patient compliance that represents the patient'"'"'s ability to follow the request or instruction, wherein the first action is not a required part of a therapy regimen for the patient.