SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COLLECTING PATIENT EVENT INFORMATION

• US 20100016920A1
• Filed: 07/16/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gilkerson, James O., Sachanandani, Haresh G., Dong, Yanting, Hoyme, Kenneth P., Hahn, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37258 Alerting the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method of and system for collecting patient event information from a cardiac rhythm management system (CRM system) is described, where the CRM system includes a cardiac rhythm management device (CRM device) and an external interface device. The method includes the steps of initiating a transmission session wherein the interface device communicates with the CRM device, prompting a user of the CRM system to select a reason for the transmission session, inputting the selected reason for the transmission session to the interface device, and storing the selected reason for the transmission session and timestamp information for the transmission session.

Claims

1. A method of collecting patient event information from a cardiac rhythm management system (CRM system) including a cardiac rhythm management device (CRM device) and an external interface device, comprising the steps of:

initiating a transmission session wherein the interface device communicates with the CRM device;

prompting a user of the CRM system to select a reason for the transmission session;

inputting the selected reason for the transmission session to the interface device; and

storing the selected reason for the transmission session and timestamp information for the transmission session.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected reason and the timestamp is stored in a memory unit of the CRM device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected reason and the timestamp is stored in a memory unit of the interface device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting the selected reason and timestamp to a patient management computer system that is communicatively coupled to the CRM system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of prompting the user comprises:

prompting the user to choose the reason for the transmission session from a list of reasons.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the list of reasons includes at least two of the following reasons:

hospitalization, shock received, having leads checked, device reprogramming, routine follow-up, and resolving an alert.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of prompting the user further comprises:

pre-selecting an anticipated reason for the transmission session from the list of reasons, wherein the pre-selection of the anticipated reason is based on recent activity information from the CRM system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the recent activity information from the CRM system includes information about the occurrence of one of the following events:

delivery of a shock by the CRM device, issuance of an alert by the CRM system, and detection of heart failure compensation by the CRM device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the user is a patient, wherein the CRM device is implanted in the patient and the patient takes the step of initiating a transmission session and wherein the patient enters a reason for the transmission session in the interface device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

initiating a review session for data sent during the transmission session; and

prompting a review session user to confirm the selected reasons for the transmission session.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

applying a filter after initiation of a transmission session and before prompting a user of the CRM system, wherein the filter determines whether the user has been prompted to enter a reason for any transmission session within a previous timeframe.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the previous timeframe is chosen based on the selected reason from a most recent past transmission session.

13. A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system for collecting patient event information, comprising:

an implantable CRM device;

an external interface device remote from the CRM device and comprising;

i. a communication module adapted to be communicatively coupled to the CRM device and to request information from and receive information from the CRM device during transmission sessions,

ii. a display device adapted to prompt a user of the CRM system to select a reason for a particular transmission session;

iii. a user input device adopted to accept input indicating a selected reason;

wherein the communication module is configured to transmit the selected reason and timestamp information for the transmission session to the CRM device; and

wherein the CRM system is adapted to store the selected reason and the timestamp information for the transmission session.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the implantable CRM device further comprises a memory unit, and wherein the CRM system is adapted to store the selected reason and the timestamp information in the CRM device memory unit.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the external interface device further comprises a memory unit, and wherein the CRM system is adapted to store the selected reason and the timestamp in the memory unit of the external interface device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the CRM system further comprises:

a patient management computer system that is communicatively coupled to the external interface device, wherein the CRM system is adapted to transmit the selected reason and timestamp information to the computer system.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the external interface device is adapted to prompt the user to choose the reason for the transmission session from a list of reasons.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the list of reasons includes at least two of the following reasons:

hospitalization, shock received, having leads checked, device reprogramming, routine follow-up, and resolving an alert.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the communication module of the external interface device is adapted to received recent activity information about recent activity of the CRM device and is adapted to pre-select an anticipated reason for the transmission session from the list of reasons, wherein the pre-selection of the anticipated reason is based on recent activity information from the CRM device.

20. A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system for collecting patient event information, comprising:

an implantable CRM device;

an external interface device remote from the CRM device and comprising;

a communication module adapted to be communicatively coupled to the CRM device and to request information from and receive information from the CRM device during transmission sessions,

a display device adapted to prompt a user of the CRM system to select a reason for a particular transmission session;

a user input device adopted to accept input indicating a selected reason; and

a memory unit, wherein the CRM system is adapted to store the selected reason and timestamp in the CRM device memory unit;

wherein the communication module is configured to transmit the selected reason and timestamp information for the transmission session to the CRM device, and wherein the CRM system is adapted to store the selected reason and the timestamp in the memory unit of the external interface device.