System and method of communicating between an implantable medical device and a remote computer system or health care provider

• US 6,804,558 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2001
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rosellini Scientific Benelux SPRL
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Haller, Markus, Ferek-Petric, Bozidar, Donders, Adrianus P.
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/765,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 128/902, 128/903, 128/904, 607/60, 607/59, 607/30-32
• US Class Current: 607/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• 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: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

A medical information communication system and corresponding methods are described. The system permits monitoring the performance of an implantable medical device (IMD) implanted within a body of a patient, monitoring the health of the patient, or remotely delivering a therapy to the patient through the IMD. The IMD is capable of bi-directional communication with a communication module, a mobile telephone and/or a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) located outside the patient'"'"'s body. The system may comprise the IMD, the communication module and/or a mobile telephone and/or a PDA, a remote computer system, and a communication system capable of bi-directional communication, where the communication module, the mobile telephone and/or the PDA are capable of receiving information from the IMD or relaying information thereto.

Claims

1. A method for remotely delivering patient requested medical services to an implantable medical device over a communications system, comprising:

establishing communications between an implantable medical device and a health care provider remote from the implantable medical device;

requesting medical services by a patient and initiating upload of data from the implantable medical device;

uploading data from a communications module in the implantable medical device;

analyzing data that have been uploaded from the communications module by a remote system;

diagnosing the patient by a remote system coupled to a health care provider;

determining an appropriate remedial response by the health care provider based on the diagnosis;

executing a medical response that was determined to be appropriate by the health care provider;

confirming that the remedial response has been successfully executed in the implantable medical device; and

generating an invoice by the health care provider for the executed medical response.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing implantable medical device data when the patient requests medical services to be used during diagnosing the patient to improve the diagnosis.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the remedial response determined to be appropriate by the health care provided is selected from the group consisting of patient monitoring, clinical study monitoring, tachycardia therapy, and requesting the patient to take medication.

4. A system for remotely delivering patient requested medical services to an implantable medical device over a communications system, comprising:

means for establishing communications between an implantable medical device and a health care provider remote from the implantable medical device;

means for requesting medical services by a patient and initiating upload of data from the implantable medical device;

means for uploading data from a communications module in the implantable medical device;

means for analyzing data that have been uploaded from the communications module by a remote system;

means for diagnosing the patient by a remote system coupled to a health care provider;

means for determining an appropriate remedial response by the health care provider based on the diagnosis;

means for executing a medical response that was determined to be appropriate by the health care provider;

means for confirming that the remedial response has been successfully executed in the implantable medical device;

means for generating an invoice by the health care provider for the executed medical response; and

means for storing implantable medical device data when the patient requests medical services to be used during diagnosing the patient to improve the diagnosis.