Remote Patient Monitoring

• US 20140331298A1
• Filed: 05/06/2013
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Steven D., Quatier, Bill Jay
• Application Number:
  US13/887,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20140331298A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A method for securely transmitting medical data to and from a remote location includes configuring a first electronic computing device with provisioning information to access a firewall-protected electronic data network. Medical data is received at the first electronic computing device from a second electronic computing device. The medical data is transmitted to the firewall-protected electronic data network using the first electronic computing device. The provisioning information permits a secure connection between the second electronic computing device and a third electronic computing device on the firewall-protected electronic data network.

Claims

1. A method for securely transmitting medical data to and from a remote location, the method comprising:

configuring a first electronic computing device with provisioning information to access a firewall-protected electronic data network;

receiving at the first electronic computing device medical data from a second electronic computing device; and

transmitting the medical data to the firewall-protected electronic data network using the first electronic computing device,

wherein the provisioning information permits a secure connection between the second electronic computing device and a third electronic computing device on the firewall-protected electronic data network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning information includes authentication credentials.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the medical data to the firewall-protected electronic data network using the provisioning information comprises establishing an encrypted tunnel between the first electronic computing device and third electronic computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning information includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the third electronic computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic computing device and the second electronic computing device are located in a stationary remote location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic computing device and the second electronic computing device are mobile.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first electronic computing device and the second electronic computing device are located in a medical transport.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a network configuration of the first electronic computing device is identical to a network configuration of a fourth electronic computing device on the firewall-protected electronic data network, the network configuration permitting access to a server computer on the firewall-protected electronic data network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a secure connection between the second electronic computing device and the third electronic computing device is maintained as the second electronic computing device is transferred to a location near the third electronic computing device or to a location near the fourth electronic computing device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a connection from the first electronic computing device to the Internet is a wireless connection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a connection from the first electronic computing device to the Internet is a wired connection.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein functionality of the first electronic computing device and the second electronic computing device are included in a single housing.

13. A patient monitoring system comprising:

a patient monitor device that includes a first radio device, the patient monitor device being located at a first location;

a first access point device that includes a second radio device and at least one uplink port, the first access point device being located at the first location, the first access point device being provisioned to include authentication credentials for supporting an automatic connection to a first electronic device at a second location; and

a second electronic device for receiving a connection from the uplink port, the second electronic device being located at the first location, the second electronic device supporting a connection to the Internet.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the authentication credentials are a same set of authentication credentials that are used by a second access point device at the second location to connect to the first electronic device from the second location.

15. The system of 13, wherein the uplink port is a universal serial bus (USB) port and the second electronic device is a cellular modem.

16. They system of 13, wherein the uplink port is an integrated wide-area network (WAN) radio device.

17. The system of 13, wherein the uplink port is an Ethernet port and the second electronic device supports a LAN connection.

18. A method for securely transmitting medical data from a remote location, the method comprising:

at the remote location, installing a remote access electronic computing device, the remote access electronic computing device being provisioned with access and authentication information for accessing a firewall protected computer network;

after the remote access electronic computing device is installed, establishing an encrypted tunnel connection from the remote access electronic computing device to an electronic computing device on the firewall protected computer network;

at the remote location, establishing a connection between a patient monitor device and the remote access electronic computing device; and

transmitting medical data from the patient monitor device to the remote access electronic computing device,

wherein, when the medical data is received at the remote access electronic computing device, the medical data is transmitted on the encrypted tunnel connection to the electronic computing device on the firewall protected computer network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the encrypted tunnel connection comprises a virtual private network (VPN).

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the encrypted tunnel connection is maintained when the patient monitor device is transferred from the remote location to a facility that houses the electronic computing device on the firewall protected computer network.