Polysomnography method with remote administration

• US 20120029305A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Physician'S Ancillary Services, LLC
• Original Assignee: Physician'S Ancillary Services, LLC
• Inventors: La Guardia, Ralph, Tyler, Carl J., McKeever, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/805,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029305A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• 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: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

A method wherein Type I (i.e., attended) polysomnography may be conducted at a distance from a patient by combining Internet-enabled remote access technologies, audioconferencing, and/or videoconferencing. The study is “virtually” attended by a polysomnography professional at a site removed from the patient whereby the polysomnography professional is able to control the equipment at the patient site and administer multiple Type I, virtually attended polysomnography studies.

Claims

1. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography comprising the steps of:

a) delivering and assembling polysomnography equipment at a patient site;

b) enabling remote access means to said assembled polysomnography equipment over a communications network;

c) enabling real-time voice and video communication means over said communications network;

d) accessing said communications network;

e) interfacing said polysomnography equipment with a patient; and

, administering a polysomnography study on said patient from a remote central site.

2. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 1 wherein said polysomnography study is a Type I polysomnography study.

3. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 1 wherein said remote access means is a remote access algorithm means loaded on said polysomnographic equipment.

4. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 1 wherein said real-time voice and video communication means is bi-directional real-time voice and video communication means.

5. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 1 further comprising scoring said polysomnography study to determine a patient'"'"'s sleep disability.

6. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communications network is the Internet.

7. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 6 wherein said communications network is the Internet and is accessed via a mobile telephony hi-speed Internet access network.

8. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 6 wherein said communications network is the Internet and is accessed via a protocol selected from a group consisting of cable modem, DSL, ISDN, and fiber optic.

9. ) A method for remotely administering a Type I polysomnography study comprising the steps of:

a) delivering and assembling polysomnography equipment at a first patient site;

b) enabling remote access algorithm means to said polysomnography equipment over an Internet communications network, said remote access algorithm means being loaded on said polysomnography equipment;

c) enabling real-time voice and video communication means over said Internet communications network;

d) accessing said Internet communications network;

e) interfacing said polysomnography equipment with a patient; and

, administering a Type I polysomnography study to said patient from a second site which is remote from said first patient site.

10. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 9 wherein said real-time voice and video communication means is bi-directional real-time voice and video communication means.

11. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 9 wherein said polysomnography equipment comprises polysomnography data acquisition hardware means and polysomnography data acquisition means.

12. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 9 further comprising scoring said polysomnography study to determine a patient'"'"'s sleep disability.

13. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 9 wherein said Internet communications network is accessed via a mobile telephony hi-speed Internet access network.

14. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 9 wherein said Internet communications network is accessed via a protocol selected from the group consisting of cable modem, DSL, ISDN, and fiber optic.

15. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography to diagnose sleep apnea comprising the steps of:

a) delivering and assembling polysomnography equipment at a first site;

b) loading remote access algorithm means to said polysomnography equipment over the Internet;

c) enabling real-time voice and video communication means over said Internet;

d) accessing said Internet;

e) interfacing said polysomnography equipment at said first site with a patient; and

,

f) administering a Type I polysomnography study to said patient from a second site which is remote from said first site.

16. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography to diagnose sleep apnea as claimed in claim 15 wherein said remote access algorithm means is loaded on said polysomnography equipment.

17. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography to diagnose sleep apnea as claimed in claim 15 wherein said Internet is accessed via a mobile telephony hi-speed Internet access network.

18. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography comprising the steps of:

a) delivering and assembling polysomnography hardware means and polysomnography software means to a plurality of patient sites;

b) enabling remote access algorithm means to said polysomnography hardware and software means at each patient site over a communications network, said remote access algorithm means being loaded on said polysomnography hardware and software means;

c) enabling real-time voice and video communication means over said communications network;

d) accessing said communications network;

e) interfacing said polysomnography hardware and polysomnography software means with a patient; and

,

f) administering a polysomnography study to each of said patients from a second site which is remote from each patient site.

19. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 18 wherein said second site is a central second site able to administer multiple polysomnography studies essentially simultaneously.

20. ) A method for remotely administering polysomnography as claimed in claim 18 wherein said polysomnography study is a Type I polysomnography study.