Instrumentation and software for remote monitoring and programming of implantable medical devices (IMDs)

• US 6,442,432 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lee, Michael Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/745,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20010031997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 607/59, 607/32
• US Class Current: 607/59
• 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 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7217 of noise originating from a therapeutic or surgical apparatus, e.g. from a pacemaker
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• 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: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling

Abstract

A data communication system is provided which permits collaboration between distributed clinicians regarding distributed or remote implantable medical devices (IMDs). A central computing resource capable of storing and distributing patient device and clinician location and contact data is provided, as well as a network providing communication with the computing resource. A deployed IMD may be polled by an interface device external to the host patient, and data may be transmitted to the interface device by wireless communication. This data may be transmitted to a central computer for storage and distribution. The data may be distributed to various clinicians in communication with the central computer. These clinicians may use this information, either directly or indirectly, to contact remote clinicians and medical devices in communication with the network.

Claims

1. A computerized method of automatically obtaining and distributing data from one or more IMDs deployed in one or more patients, comprising the steps of:

transmitting via a network communication link IMD data pertaining to at least one of the IMDs to an interface device communicating with a central computer system external to any patient;

routing the IMD data to the central computer system; and

routing the IMD data to one or more peripheral devices.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the IMD data comprises physiologic data from the patient.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the IMD data comprises device information.

4. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein the device information comprises at least one of device model number, serial number, hardware, firmware, or software identification patient name, patient contact information, clinician name, and clinician entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network communication link comprises a radio frequency link.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network communication link comprises a hybrid link.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the hybrid link comprises a radio frequency link from an IMD to a network interface, and a secondary network link from the network interface to the computer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the secondary network link is a direct dial up connection.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the secondary network link is an area network.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the secondary network communication link comprises an asynchronous link.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the secondary network communications link comprises a synchronous link.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one peripheral device comprises at least one medical device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the data pertaining to at least one of the IMDs is data transmitted by a medical device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one medical device comprises at least one of a programmer, an interface medical unit, or a monitor.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one peripheral device comprises a communications device with an interface for humans.

16. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the one or more peripheral devices comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a computer, a personal digital assistant, a telephone, a pager, a fax, a printer, or an audio interface.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the area network is a LAN.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the area network is a WAN.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more IMDs comprises one or more of a pacemaker, a PCD pacemaker/cardioverter/defibrillator, an oxygen sensing device, a nerve stimulator, a muscle stimulator, a drug pump, or an implantable monitoring device.

20. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the data in storage means accessible to the central computer system.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the data pertaining to at least one of the IMDs is data input by a clinician.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the data input by a clinician is voice data.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the data input by a clinician is a bulletin board post.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the data input by a clinician is a real-time chat forum entry.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the data input by a clinician is a peer-to-peer instant message.

26. A computerized information network system linking one or more IMD-related medical devices to a centralized computer system via a data communication network, said network comprising:

a first computer resource accessible by the network, said first computer resource capable of storing data regarding an IMD;

at least one network interface to at least one medical device, said network interface being capable of communication with the network and with at least one IMD;

at least one additional peripheral computer in data communication with the first computer.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising at least one network link with at least one communication device operable by a clinician.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the at least one communication device is a telecommunications device.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the telecommunications device is one selected from the group consisting of a telephone, personal digital assistant, a page, or a facsimile machine.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein the communications device is a computer.

31. The computerized network of claim 26, wherein the network comprises a direct link between the at least one network interface and the computer.

32. The computerized network of claim 26, wherein the first computer resource comprises a networked or parallel cluster of processors.

33. The computerized network of claim 26, wherein the data communication is asynchronous.

34. The computerized network of claim 26, where the data communication is synchronous.

35. A computerized method of providing a communication link between an IMD and a remote medical resource, comprising the steps of:

establishing a first communication path between the IMD and a central repository of medical device contact information;

selecting a remote medical resource using resource-identifying access data;

establishing a second communication path to the remote medical resource using the resource access data provided by the central repository.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the second communication path is implemented as a direct dial-up connection.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the remote medical resource is a remote human clinician.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein the remote medical resource is a remote medical device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the remote medical resource data comprises a unique medical device name.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the remote medical resource data comprises a unique device serial number.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the remote medical resource data comprises a unique pictorial representation on a computer monitor.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the remote device identifier comprises a unique patient identifier.

43. The method of claim 35 wherein the resource-identifying access data is data identifying the IMD.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the data regarding the IMD is historical physiologic data regarding the patient.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the data regarding the IMD is a unique IMD identifier.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein the data regarding the IMD is an upgrade to the processor instructions stored within the IMD.

47. The method of claim 35 wherein the second communication path is implemented as an indirect communication path.

48. The method of claim 35 wherein the second communication path is implemented over a computerized data network.

49. The method of claim 35 wherein the second communication path is implemented over telephony links.

50. The method of claim 35 wherein the remote medical resource data comprises a telephone number.

51. The method of claim 35 wherein the remote medical resource data comprises a network or node address.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the remote medical resource data comprises an IP address.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the remote medical resource data comprises an IPv6 address.