PATIENT TREATMENT AND MONITORING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110105979A1
• Filed: 11/05/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Sands, Jeffrey J., Crnkovich, Martin, Schlaeper, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/5.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/28 Peritoneal dialysis ; Other peritoneal treatment, e.g. oxygenation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/30 Blood pressure A61M2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/50 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines

Abstract

The invention provides apparatus and methods for home or other remote delivery of health care that gather subjective and objective measures of patient health and treatment, analyzing them (e.g., correlating them with one another and/or with norms) and reporting them to aid in on-going patient diagnosis and treatment (both on acute and chronic bases), as well as to aid physicians, nurses and other caregivers in decision support, monitoring treatment compliance, facilitating regulatory compliance, billing, and so forth. Thus, for example, in some aspects a health care delivery device comprising a medical treatment apparatus, such as a home hemodialysis or home peritoneal dialysis unit, that is coupled to a processor. The processor generates patient queries in connection with treatments rendered by the dialysis equipment (or other treatment apparatus). The queries are directed, at least in part, to subjective topics, such as the state of the patient'"'"'s mental health and well being, quality of life, degrees of pain, views on success of therapy, and so forth. They are presented on an LCD screen or other output device coupled to the processor to elicit responses on a keyboard or other input device, also coupled to the processor.

Claims

1. A health care delivery device comprising:

A. medical treatment apparatus,

B. an output device that presents information or other output for a patient,

C. an input device that accepts information or other input in response to such query,

D. a processor that is coupled to the medical treatment apparatus and that generates subjective queries in connection with treatment of the patient thereby, the processor being coupled to the output device for presentation of those subjective queries for the patient and being coupled to the input device for accepting responses to those subjective queries.

2. The health device of claim 1, wherein the medical treatment apparatus comprises dialysis equipment.

3. The health device of claim 2, wherein the dialysis equipment comprises equipment for any of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

4. The health device of claim 1, adapted for treatment of the patient in a patient'"'"'s home or other location remote from a dialysis treatment center.

5. The health device of claim 1, wherein the subjective queries include questions about one or more of the patient'"'"'s mental health and well being, quality of life, degrees of pain, and views on success of therapy.

6. The health device of claim 1, comprising communication functionality that transmits messages, input by the patient via the input device, to a remote care provider.

7. The health device of claim 6, the communication functionality accepts messages transmitted from a remote care provider and that presents those messages on the output device.

8. The health device of claim 7, wherein the messages are text messages.

9-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A health care delivery device comprising:

A. medical treatment apparatus,

B. an output device that presents information or other output for a patient,

C. an input device that accepts information or other input in response to such query,

D. a processor that is coupled to the medical treatment apparatus and that generates subjective queries in connection with treatment of the patient thereby, the processor being coupled to the output device for presentation of those subjective queries for the patient and being coupled to the input device for accepting responses to those subjective queries,

E. one or more sensors that sense (i) physiometric characteristics of the patient in connection with treatment by the medical treatment apparatus, and (ii) operating conditions of any of the health device and the medical treatment apparatus,

F. one or more monitors that signal alerts in response to any of (i) selected patient physiometric characteristics and (ii) selected operating conditions of any of the health device and the medical treatment apparatus.

G. at least one of;

i. communication functionality that transmits one or more of said patient responses, said alerts, said patient physiometric characteristics, and operating conditions of any of the health device and the medical treatment apparatus to a remote care provider,

ii. a store that stores one or more of said patient responses, said alerts, said patient physiometric characteristics and operating conditions of any of the health device and the medical treatment apparatus.

13-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A health care delivery system comprising:

A. a digital data processing system,

B. a health care delivery device disposed remotely from the digital data processing system, the health care delivery device being coupled for at least occasional communication with the digital data processing system and including

i. medical treatment apparatus,

ii. an output device that presents information or other output for a patient,

iii. an input device that accepts information or other input in response to such query,

iv. a processor that is coupled to the medical treatment apparatus and that generates subjective queries in connection with treatment of the patient thereby, the processor being coupled to the output device for presentation of those subjective queries for the patient and being coupled to the input device for accepting responses to those subjective queries,

v. communication functionality that transmits one or more of the responses to the digital data processing system.

17-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A method of health care delivery comprising:

A. delivering medical treatment to a patient via a medical treatment apparatus,

B. subjectively querying the patient via a health care treatment device associated with the medical treatment apparatus,

D. accepting responses to those subjective queries,

E. transmitting the responses to a remote health care provider.

24-29. -29. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. A method of health care delivery comprising:

A. delivering medical treatment to a patient via a medical treatment apparatus,

B. subjectively querying the patient via a health care treatment device associated with the medical treatment apparatus,

D. accepting responses to those subjective queries,

E. sensing physiometric characteristics of the patient and operating conditions of any of the health device and the medical treatment apparatus in connection with treatment by the medical treatment apparatus, and

F. transmitting to a remote care provider one or more of the patient responses, physiometric characteristics and operating conditions.

34. The method of claim 32, comprising utilizing one or more of the patient responses, physiometric characteristics, and operating conditions received from the health care delivery device for any of diagnostics and billing.

33. (canceled)

35. A health care delivery device comprising:

A. medical treatment apparatus,

B. an input device that accept patient responses to one or more queries,

C. sensors that sense (i) physiometric characteristics of the patient in connection with treatment by the medical treatment apparatus, and (ii) operating conditions of any of the health device and the medical treatment apparatus,

D. a processor that is coupled to the medical treatment apparatus and that

(i) correlates one or more of the patient responses, physiometric characteristics, and operating conditions received from the health care delivery device with any of (a) one another, (b) prior information received from the health care delivery device and/or from the patient'"'"'s records, (c) one or more standards, and, and

(ii) signals an alert on determining that the patient is not doing as expected.

36. A health care delivery system comprising:

A. a health care delivery device including

i. medical treatment apparatus,

ii. an input device that accept patient responses to one or more queries,

iii. sensors that sense (a) physiometric characteristics of the patient in connection with treatment by the medical treatment apparatus, and (b) operating conditions of any of the health device and the medical treatment apparatus,

B. functionality that transmits one or more of the patient responses, physiometric characteristics and operating conditions a remote digital data processor,

C. the remote digital data processor

(i) correlating one or more of the patient responses, physiometric characteristics, and operating conditions received from the health care delivery device with any of (a) one another, (b) prior information received from the health care delivery device and/or from the patient'"'"'s records, (c) one or more standards, and

(ii) any of generating a report and signaling an alert on determining that the patient is not doing as expected.

37. The health care delivery system of claim 36, wherein the remote digital data processor (i) correlates any of patient responses, physiometric characteristics, and operating conditions received from a plurality of health care delivery device with any of (a) one another, (b) prior information received from the health care delivery devices and/or from patient records, (c) one or more standards, and (ii) any of generates a report and signals an alert on determining that a treatment facility is not doing as expected.