Methods for sampling and relaying patient medical data

• US 8,155,982 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medapps Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medapps Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dicks, Kent, Kent, Ralph, Tripp, Robert, Bartlett, Terry, Crosley, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Najarian, Lena
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEOH, MINNAH L
• Application Number:
  US12/938,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 710 15- 16, 600/300
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• 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

Abstract

In an aspect of a method of the present invention, medical data may be obtained either through a wired or wireless connection to a medical device (or both), and may be relayed to a medical data server directly or through an intermediary device (or a combination of both pathways). Accordingly, there is provided a method whereby data from a medical device can be received through one or more of a wired connection and a wireless connection, and a message including the received data for transmission may be formatted for transmission to one or more of: a medical data server and a intermediary device, wherein the intermediary device includes a software program configured to retransmit the message to the medical data server. Data received by the medical server may automatically determine a medical device type based on a medical device identifier. This method can be practiced automatically to allow a medical device for a patient or other subject to be monitored without requiring the patient to manually enter information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transitioning, by a medical data interchange device, from a quiescent state to an active state in response to a signal transmitted from a medical device to prepare the medical data interchange device to receive data from the medical device, wherein the medical data interchange device includes a first medical device interface configured to receive patient data via a wired connection from a first plurality of different medical devices, wherein the medical data interchange device includes a second medical device interface configured to receive data via a wireless connection from a second plurality of medical devices, wherein the signal is received via one or more of the first medical device interface and the second medical device interface, and wherein the data comprises at least one of patient data, a device identifier and a patient identifier;

broadcasting, by the medical data interchange device, an authorization code stored in the medical data interchange device in response to a request for authorization;

authenticating, by the medical device, the medical data interchange device by determining that the broadcast authorization code matches a code stored by the medical device;

automatically detecting, based on a voltage of a signal received via the first medical device interface, a first communication protocol used by one or more of the first plurality of medical devices;

automatically configuring the first medical device interface to communicate using the first communication protocol;

automatically detecting, based on a wireless signal received via the second medical device interface, a communication protocol used by one or more of the second plurality of medical devices;

automatically configuring the second medical device interface to communicate using the second communication protocol;

receiving data from the first plurality of medical devices through the first medical device interface;

receiving data from the second plurality of medical devices through the second medical device interface; and

formatting a message including the received data for transmission to one or more of;

a medical data server; and

a intermediary device, wherein the intermediary device includes a software program configured to retransmit the message to the medical data server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received from the first plurality of medical devices through a wired connection selected from the group consisting of an optical fiber connection, a tip and sleeve (TS) connection, a tip, ring, and sleeve (TRS) connection, a tip, ring, ring, and sleeve (TRRS) connection, a serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) connection, a universal serial bus (USB) connection, an RS-232 serial connection, an Ethernet connection, a FireWire connection, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received from the second plurality of medical devices through a wireless connection using a protocol selected from the group consisting of a Zigbee protocol, a Wibree protocol, an IEEE 802.11 protocol, an IEEE 802.15 protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) protocol, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes respective information regarding one or more patients associated with one or more medical devices from the first plurality of medical devices and the second plurality of medical devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the respective information regarding the one or more patients includes a patient identifier for each of the respective one or more patients.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising analyzing the information for the one or more patients to identify a respective condition for the one or more patients.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising contacting a patient from the one or more patients when the information and the condition for the patient satisfies respective predetermined thresholds.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising contacting a patient from the one or more patients when information from the patient is not received for a predetermined interval.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes an environmental parameter, wherein the environmental parameter includes at least one of a battery charge level, a temperature, a barometric pressure, a code relating to an accessory for a medical device, a data validity measurement, an elapsed time since a previous reading by the medical device, a test result parameter, a signal-to-noise parameter, and a quality of service (QoS) parameter.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating one or more of:

the intermediary device; and

the medical data server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatted message is transmitted through a wireless network selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular network;

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network;

a wireless Local Area Network (WLAN);

a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network;

a Personal Communication Service (PCS) network;

an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) network;

satellite communication network; and

combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the formatted message includes selecting a transmission method from a plurality of transmission methods based at least partially on a cost associated with the transmission method.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein formatting the message includes processing the data into one or more formats, the one or more formats including at least one of an XML record, an SMS text message, an email, and a facsimile.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a command from the medical data server.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving input from a user, wherein the command is generated in response to interpretation of the input.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the command reconfigures a software application running on an intermediary device in communication with the medical data server and the medical data interchange device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the command controls one or more of the plurality of medical devices.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting a medical device identifier from one or more of the plurality of medical devices.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving data from the plurality of medical devices further comprises determining a medical device type based at least partially on the medical device identifier.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of medical devices include a medical device selected from the group consisting of:

a blood glucose meter;

a pacemaker;

a blood pressure monitor;

an insulin pump;

a pulse oximeter;

a holter monitor;

an electrocardiograph;

an electroencephalograph;

a blood alcohol monitor;

an alcohol breathalyzer;

an alcohol ignition interlock;

a respiration monitor;

an accelerometer;

a skin galvanometer;

a thermometer;

a patient geolocation device;

a scale;

an intravenous flow regulator;

a patient height measuring device;

a biochip assay device;

a monitor for biological agents;

a hazardous chemical agent monitor;

an ionizing radiation sensor;

a sphygmomanometer;

a loop recorder;

a spirometer;

an event monitor;

a prothrombin time (PT) meter;

an international normalized ratio (INR) meter;

a tremor sensor;

a defibrillator; and

combinations thereof.