System and method for longitudinal analysis of mood disorders

• US 6,607,390 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter C. Whybrow, Tasha Glenn
• Original Assignee: Peter C. Whybrow, Tasha Glenn
• Inventors: Whybrow, Peter C., Glenn, Tasha
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuen, Henry C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Hyder
• Application Number:
  US09/915,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20020150872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 434/238, 434/237, 434/236, 434/430
• US Class Current: 434/236
• 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 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• 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 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

In a computer system having a storage device, a method for gathering clinical data useful in the clinical analysis and treatment of mood disorders. The method includes such steps as displaying a main menu including a multiplicity of icons depicting inquiries to be answered by a patient; and, storing the patient'"'"'s answers to the inquiries as clinical data generated on a regular basis by the patient. The method further includes selecting a point on a scale depicting the patient'"'"'s current mood; selecting a sleep icon for updating sleep data; and, selecting a medication icon for updating type and amount of medication taken. The present invention is also capable of creating longitudinal charts and statistics based on selections made by a patient over a given period of time.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a storage device, a method for gathering clinical data useful in the clinical analysis and treatment of mood disorders, said method comprising the steps of:

a. displaying a main menu including a multiplicity of icons depicting inquiries to be answered by a patient;

b. storing said patient'"'"'s answers to said inquiries as clinical data generated on a regular basis by said patient; and

c. creating longitudinal charts and statistics based on selections made by the patient over a single 24-hour period.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting a point on a scale depicting said patient'"'"'s current mood.

3. The method as in claim 1 further including the step of selecting a sleep icon for each hour of a 24 hour period for updating sleep data.

4. The method as in claim 1 further including the step of selecting a medication icon for updating type and amount of medication taken.

5. The method as in claim 1 further including the step of creating longitudinal charts and statistics based on selections made by said patient over a given period of time.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein said patient makes selections for sleep for every hour of every day.

7. The method as in claim 1 further including the step of aggregating data received from a plurality of patients.

8. The method as in claim 7 further including for female patients selecting an indicator for updating menstrual cycle data.

9. The method as in claim 7 further including selecting an indicator for updating said patient'"'"'s weight on a weekly basis.

10. A program storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for gathering clinical data useful in the clinical analysis and treatment of mood disorders, when the program code is executed by a computer, the computer performs the steps:

a. displaying a main menu including a multiplicity of icons depicting inquiries to be answered by a patient;

b. storing said patient'"'"'s answers to said inquiries as clinical data generated on a regular basis by said patient; and

c. aggregating data received from a plurality of patients.

11. The medium as in claim 10 further including the step of selecting a point on a scale depicting said patient'"'"'s current mood.

12. The medium as in claim 10 further including the step of selecting a sleep icon for updating sleep data.

13. The medium as in claim 10 further including the step of selecting a medication icon for updating type and amount of medication taken.

14. The medium as in claim 10 further including the step of creating longitudinal charts and statistics based on selections made by said patient over a given period of time.

15. The medium as in claim 14 wherein said given period of time is a single 24-hour period.

16. The medium as in claim 10 wherein said patient makes selections for sleep for every hour of every day.

17. The medium as in claim 10 further including for female patients selecting an indicator for updating menstrual cycle data.

18. The medium as in claim 10 further including selecting an indicator for updating said patient'"'"'s weight on a weekly basis.

19. A method for recording clinical data using a computer system, which data is useful in the analysis and treatment of mood disorders, said method comprising the steps of:

a. displaying a main menu including a multiplicity of icons for selection by a patient;

b. selecting a point on a mood scale ranging from depressed to manic in order to update mood data;

c. selecting a sleep icon based on the number of hours asleep and the number of hours in bed and not asleep for updating sleep data;

d. selecting a medication icon and updating the medication dosage taken; and

,

e. relaying said recorded clinical data to an attending physician.

20. The method as in claim 19 further including the step of selecting an icon indicative of one of the following:

being awake, asleep or in bed and awake, and updating during a given period of time.

21. A program storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for recording clinical data using a computer, which data is useful in the analysis and treatment of mood disorders, when the program code is executed by said computer, the computer performs the steps of:

a. displaying a main menu including a multiplicity of icons for selection by a patient;

b. selecting a point on a mood scale ranging from depressed to manic in order to update mood data;

c. selecting a sleep icon based on the number of hours asleep and the number of hours in bed and not asleep for updating sleep data;

d. selecting a medication icon and updating the medication dosage taken; and

,

e. relaying said recorded clinical data to an attending physician.

22. The medium as in claim 21 further including the step of selecting an icon indicative of one of the following:

being awake, asleep or in bed and awake, and updating during a given period of time.

23. A method for creating a combined longitudinal chart of clinical data received from a patient using a computer system, which data is useful in the clinical analysis and treatment of mood disorders, said method comprising the steps of:

a. plotting a first graph of said patient'"'"'s mood for each day based upon a selection by said patient of a point on a mood scale ranging from depressed to manic;

b. plotting a second graph of said patient'"'"'s sleep pattern for each day based upon a selection by said patient of a sleep icon; and

c. plotting a third graph of medication taken by said patient by selecting an icon indicative of the medication dosage taken each day.

24. A method for aggregating longitudinal clinical data received from patients using a computer system, which data is useful in the clinical analysis and treatment of mood disorders, said method comprising the steps of:

a. for each patient submitting clinical data, plotting a first graph of said paitient'"'"'s mood for each day based upon a selection by said patient of a point on a mood scale ranging from depressed to manic, thereby forming an overlay of first graphs for each patient;

b. for each patient submitting clinical data, plotting a second graph of said patient'"'"'s sleep pattern for each day based upon a selection by said patient of a sleep icon, thereby forming an overlay of second graphs for each patient; and

c. for each patient submitting clinical data, plotting a third graph of medication taken by said patient by selecting an icon indicative of the medication dosage taken each day, thereby forming an overlay of third graphs for each patient.