METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING A PATIENT

• US 20090234676A1
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: I-Flow Corporation (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Vasko, Robert S., Massengale, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A remotely or locally programmable and accessible medical device system including an interface unit and a medical device connected to a patient is disclosed. Through a transceiver, such as a telephone or computer, a person may obtain status reports from a remotely located or local medical device in audible, electronic or paper form. In addition, the person may change a protocol associated with the medical device or be alerted at a remote or local location of an alarm associated with the medical device.

Claims

1. A medical device system having a programmable protocol and storing patient data, the medical device system being programmable by a local transceiver and by a remote transceiver and being capable of sending patient data to a local or remote location, the medical device system comprising:

an electronically controllable medical device connected to a patient and having a protocol or patient data associated therewith;

a memory for storing a programmable protocol or patient data;

a data storage unit for storing a data signal;

a first communication port for connection to the local transceiver for sending a data signal to a local location and for receiving a signal from the local transceiver;

a second communication port for connection to the remote transceiver for sending a data signal to a remote location and for receiving a signal from the remote transceiver; and

a processor arranged to manipulate the programmable protocol in said memory in response to receiving a local or remote programming signal or to send said data signal including patient data from the data storage unit in response to a local or remote data access signal.

2. A medical device system having a programmable protocol and storing patient data, the medical device system being programmable by a remote or local transceiver and capable of sending patient data to a remote or local location, the medical device system comprising:

an electronically controllable medical device connected to a patient and having a protocol or patient data associated therewith;

a memory for storing a programmable protocol or patient data;

a data storage unit for storing a data signal;

a communication port for connection to the transceiver for sending a data signal to a location and for receiving a signal from the transceiver; and

a processor arranged to manipulate the programmable protocol in said memory in response to receiving a programming signal or to send said data signal including patient data from the data storage unit in response to a data access signal.

3. A method for accessing a medical device from a transceiver positioned locally or remote from said medical device, including a control associated with said medical device, said control having a programmable protocol or patient data associated therewith, comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection between the medical device and the transceiver;

sending a signal from the transceiver to said control;

processing said signal and manipulating said programmable protocol if said signal is a programming signal from said transceiver and sending said patient data to said transceiver or a secondary location if said signal is a data transfer signal.