System and method for remotely monitoring asthma severity

• US 6,283,923 B1
• Filed: 06/03/1998
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Finkelstein, Joseph, Hripcsak, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US09/089,577
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 600/529, 600/532, 600/534, 600/538, 600/300, 128/903, 128/904
• US Class Current: 600/532
• 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 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A system for remotely monitoring asthma severity includes a remotely located asthma monitoring station for administering a patient self-test and for gathering test data and relevant patient information indicative of asthmatic symptoms, and a central processing facility for receiving the test data and patient information from the remote monitoring station, determining whether the test data is valid, analyzing valid test data to generate test results and an appropriate response message to the monitoring station, storing the test results in a central data repository, and disseminating the test results and response message in a timely manner as required. The monitoring system also includes a remotely located diagnosis/evaluation station for displaying the test results, response messages and other patient information. Selectable data links are provided for real-time reciprocal exchange of the test data, test results, response message and patient information between said monitoring station, said central processing facility and said diagnosis/evaluation station. Preferably, the remote monitoring station, central processing facility and remote diagnosis/evaluation station are connected via the Internet wherein the test results can be accessed via a conventional Web browser.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring asthma severity comprising:

a remotely located asthma monitoring station for administering a patient self-test to gather test data and relevant patient information indicative of asthmatic symptoms and conditions;

a remotely located diagnosis/evaluation station;

a central processing facility receiving said test data and patient information from said monitoring station, processing said test data to determine whether said test data is valid, analyzing valid test data to generate test results and an appropriate response message to said monitoring station, storing said test results in a central data repository, and disseminating said test results and response message in a timely manner as required to one or both of said monitoring station and diagnosis/evaluation station;

and selectable data links coupling said monitoring station, said central processing facility, and said diagnosis/evaluation station for providing real-time reciprocal exchange of said test data, said test results, said response message and said patient information between said monitoring station, said central processing facility and said diagnosis/evaluation station, and for allowing the display of one or more of said test data, said test results, said response message and said patient information at one or both of said monitoring station and said diagnosis/evaluation station.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said remotely located asthma monitoring station comprises:

a spirometer for performing a forced vitality capacity test;

a symptom diary for storing answers to questions regarding relevant patient information;

a computing device coupled to said spirometer for administering said forced vitality capacity test and for reciprocal data exchange with said central processing facility.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said remotely located diagnosis/evaluation station comprises a graphical user interface for displaying results from said forced vitality capacity test in graphical and tabular form.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said graphical user interface is an Internet Web browser.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said central processing facility comprises a feedback loop for automatically transmitting a request response message to said monitoring station when said test data is invalid, a confirmation message when test data is valid, and an alert message when valid test data is determined to be outside pre-determined alert limits.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said data links are provided via a wireless communication system.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said data links are provided via a landline communication system.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said data links are provided via the Internet.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of remotely located asthma monitoring stations.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of remotely located diagnosis/evaluation stations.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one diagnosis/evaluation station located at said central processing facility.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at distributed computer program for controlling said system for remotely monitoring asthma severity.

13. The system according to claim 1, comprising:

at least one remotely located computer usable medium;

at least one centrally located computer usable medium; and

distributed computer readable program code means embodied in said remotely and centrally located computer usable media, said program code means comprising;

means for administering a self-test at a remotely located monitoring station to gather test data and relevant patient information indicative of asthmatic symptoms and conditions;

means for transmitting said test data and patient information from said monitoring station to a central processing facility;

means for processing said test data at said central facility network to determine whether said test data is valid;

means for analyzing valid test data at said central processing facility to generate test results and an appropriate response message;

means for storing said test results in a central data repository;

means for disseminating said test results and said response message in a timely manner as required to one or both of said monitoring station and a remotely located diagnosis/evaluation station; and

means for displaying said test results, said response message and said patient information at one or both of said monitoring station and said diagnosis/evaluation station.

14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising test results previously stored in said central data repository for analyzing said test data received by said central processing facility from said monitoring station.

15. The system according to claim 1, further comprising test results previously stored in said central data repository for display at one or both of said monitoring station and said remotely located diagnosis/evaluation station.

16. A method for monitoring asthma severity comprising the steps of:

administering a self-test at a remotely located monitoring station to gather test data and relevant patient information indicative of asthmatic symptoms and conditions;

transmitting said test data and patient information from said monitoring station to a central processing facility;

processing said test data at said central processing facility to determine whether said test data is valid;

analyzing valid test data at said central processing facility to generate test results and an appropriate response message;

storing said test results in a central data repository;

disseminating said test results and said response message in a timely manner as required to one or both of said monitoring station and a remotely located diagnosis/evaluation station; and

displaying said test results, said response message and said patient information at one or both of said monitoring station and said diagnosis/evaluation station.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of generating an appropriate request response when said test data is determined to be invalid by said central processing facility.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said step of analyzing said test data comprises the step of analyzing previously stored test results.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of displaying previously stored test results.