System and method of automated invoicing for communications between an implantable medical device and a remote computer system or health care provider

• US 7,149,773 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2001
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Belltower Associates LLC
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Haller, Markus, Ferek-Petric, Bozidar, Donders, Adrianus P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prieto, Beatriz
• Application Number:
  US09/765,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20010051787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,154 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709223-224, 709200-203, 607/6, 607 27- 32, 607/57, 607 59- 60, 607/9, 705 2- 3, 705/34, 705/40, 705/52, 705/77, 717/101
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• 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 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for automatically generating invoices when medical services are provided to a patient are described. Invoices are automatically generated by the system, for example, when monitoring of certain aspects of the performance of an implantable medical device(IMD) implanted within a body of a patient is initiated by the patient or remotely, or when the delivery of a therapy to the patient through the IMD is initiated locally or remotely. 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 invoicing system may comprise the IMD, the communication module and/or a mobile telephone and/or a PDA, means for generating an invoice, a remote computer system, and a communication system capable of bi-directional communication, where the communication module, the mobile telephone and/or the PDA is capable of receiving information from the IMD or relaying information thereto.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium for storing instructions for performing a method, said method involving generating an invoice for the provision of medical services relating to communicating information between an implantable medical device (IMD) implanted in a patient and a remote computer system, the method utilizing a system for at least one of monitoring the performance of the IMD, monitoring the health of the patient and remotely delivering a therapy to the patient through the IMD, the IMD being capable of bi-directional communication with a communication module located external to the patient'"'"'s body, the system comprising the IMD, the communication module, a mobile telephone capable of being operably connected to the communication module and capable of receiving information therefrom or relaying information thereto, means for generating an invoice in response to information relating to the IMD being relayed or transmitted from or to the mobile telephone, a remote computer system, and a communication system capable of bi-directional communication with the mobile telephone and the remote computer system, the computer readable medium comprising:

(a) software encoded instructions for operating the IMD to determine whether medical attention should be provided;

(b) in response to the determination made in step (a), software encoded instructions for uploading data from the IMD to the communication module;

(c) software encoded instructions for transferring the data from the communication module to the mobile telephone and thence on to the remote computer system via the communication system;

(d) software encoded instructions for remotely analyzing the data;

(e) software encoded instructions for determining on the basis of the analyzed data whether remedial action respecting at least one of the IMD and the patient is required;

(f) software encoded instructions for remotely executing the determined remedial action via the communication system, and

(g) software encoded instructions for automatically generating an invoice in response to at least one of steps (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) being carried out,

wherein the communications module is adapted to detect whether at least one of a component defect and a software defect exists within one of the IMD and the remote computer system, and in the event that the component defect or software defect is detected, software encoded instructions for determining whether a remote repair is available, and if not, software encoded instructions for simultaneously broadcasting an alert to;

a remote health care provider, a remote computer, a remote expert-based computer system.

2. An apparatus, comprising:

means for generating an invoice for the provision of medical services relating to communicating information between an implantable medical device (IMD) implanted in a patient and a remote computer system, said means utilizing a system for at least one of monitoring the performance of the IMD, monitoring the health of the patient and remotely delivering a therapy to the patient through the IMD, the IMD being capable of bi-directional communication with a communication module located external to the patient'"'"'s body, the system comprising the IMD, the communication module, a mobile telephone capable of being operably connected to the communication module and including means for receiving information therefrom and means for relaying information thereto,

means for generating an invoice in response to information relating to the IMD being relayed or transmitted from or to the mobile telephone,

a remote computer system, and

a communication system capable of bi-directional communication with the mobile telephone and the remote computer system, said communication system further comprising;

(a) means for operating the IMD to determine whether medical attention should be provided;

(b) in response to the determination made in step (a), means for uploading data from the IMD to the communication module;

(c) means for transferring the data from the communication module to the mobile telephone and thence on to the remote computer system via the communication system;

(d) means for remotely analyzing the data;

(e) means for determining on the basis of the analyzed data whether remedial action respecting at least one of the IMD and the patient is required;

(f) means for remotely executing the determined remedial action via the communication system, and

(g) means for automatically generating an invoice in response to at least one of steps (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) being carried out,

wherein the communications module is adapted to detect whether at least one of a component defect and a software defect exists within one of the IMD and the remote computer system, and

wherein in the event that the component defect or software defect is detected, implementing means for determining whether a remote repair is available, and if not, means for simultaneously broadcasting an alert to;

a remote health care provider, a remote computer, a remote expert-based computer system.

3. A method, comprising:

generating an invoice for the provision of medical services relating to communicating information between an implantable medical device (IMD) implanted in a patient and a remote computer system, said method utilizing a system for at least one of monitoring the performance of the IMD;

monitoring the health of the patient; and

remotely delivering a therapy to the patient through the IMD, wherein said IMD is capable of bi-directional communication with a communication module located external to the patient'"'"'s body,

wherein said system further comprises;

the IMD;

the communication module;

a mobile telephone capable of being operably connected to the communication module and capable of receiving information therefrom or relaying information thereto;

means for generating an invoice in response to information relating to the IMD being relayed or transmitted from or to the mobile telephone,

a remote computer system; and

a communication system capable of bi-directional communication with the mobile telephone and the remote computer system, said method further comprising;

(a) operating the IMD to determine whether medical attention should be provided;

(b) in response to the determination made in step (a), uploading data from the IMD to the communication module;

(c) transferring the data from the communication module to the mobile telephone and thence on to the remote computer system via the communication system;

(d) remotely analyzing the data;

(e) determining on the basis of the analyzed data whether remedial action respecting at least one of the IMD and the patient is required;

(f) remotely executing the determined remedial action via the communication system, and

(g) automatically generating an invoice in response to at least one of steps (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) being carried out,

wherein the communications module is adapted to detect whether at least one of a component defect and a software defect exists within one of the IMD and the remote computer system, and in the event that the component defect or software defect is detected, determining whether a remote repair is available, and if not, simultaneously broadcasting an alert to;

a remote health care provider, a remote computer, a remote expert based computer system.