Clinical investigation data logging with contextual time shifting

• US 8,273,019 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eResearchTechnology, Inc. (Explorer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PHT Corporation (Explorer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Raymond, Stephen A., Crowley, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Morse, Gregory A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/177,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20100022847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301, 600/500, 600/509, 600/529, 600/365, 600/485, 600/549, 702/127, 702176-199, 434/322, 360 62- 88, 360243-247, 360/275, 360/327, 705 2- 8, 705/342, 705/500
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A health monitoring device that includes a data logger module that collects health information from a subject or clinician during specific time ranges that are part of a health monitoring schedule. The collected health information and/or the time ranges are determined in part by the content of the collected health information. The device records the collected health information along with a time stamp. The device also includes a clock and a time shift mode that allows a user to adjust the clock to a specified point in the health monitoring schedule so that the device operates at the specified point in the same manner as if the device had reached the specified point without intervention by the user to adjust the clock.

Claims

1. A health monitoring device comprising:

a clock, wherein the value of the clock comprises an operating date-time of the health monitoring device as the device executes a health monitoring schedule based on a study definition that defines a planned date-time for scheduled elements and events of interest in the study definition to occur and wherein the clock value determines an operational state of the health monitoring device;

a data logger module including logic for;

collecting a first set of health information from a subject or clinician during a first time range and a second set of health information from the subject or clinician during a second time range, at least one of the second set of health information and the second time range being determined in part by a content of the first set of health information, the first and second time ranges being part of the health monitoring schedule;

recording the first and second sets of health information in a computer readable medium; and

including a time stamp with the recorded health information in the computer readable medium;

a user interface for receiving the sets of health information from the subject or the clinician;

a time shifting module including logic to permit, in a time shifting mode, an adjustment of the clock from a first event of interest in the health monitoring schedule, corresponding to a first operational state of the device, to at or relative to a second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule, corresponding to a second operational state of the device, the device operating at the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule in the same manner and collecting health information from the subject or clinician in the same manner as if the device had reached the second event of interest without intervention by the time shifting module and resulting in activation of the second operational state of the health monitoring device;

wherein the time shifting module further includes logic to prevent adjustment of the date and/or time to alter operational state of the health monitoring device and move to the second event of interest when the device is not in the time shifting mode;

wherein adjustment of the clock from the first point in the health monitoring schedule to the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule changes an operational state of the device without modification to the study definition; and

a display having a screen for displaying information corresponding to the operational state of the device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic for collecting a first set of health information and a second set of health information includes logic to collect diary entries.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic for collecting a first set of health information during a first time range and a second set of health information during a second time range includes logic to determine first and second time ranges that correspond to at least one of a specified time of day, and a period relative to an event.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic to permit an adjustment of the clock includes logic to adjust the operating date-time of the health monitoring device by selecting an event in lieu of specifying an actual time.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic to permit an adjustment of the clock includes logic to set the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule to a specific point relative to a time range during which the subject or clinician is permitted to enter health information.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic to permit an adjustment of the clock includes logic to set the clock of the health monitoring device to a specific point in a schedule of a medical treatment.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic to permit an adjustment of the clock includes logic to set the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule to a point in time selected as a result of a calculation based on health information collected prior to the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the data logger module includes logic for providing the health monitoring schedule with a plurality of branches, and wherein the device executes one or more of the branches based on health information received from the subject or clinician.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic for collecting a first set of health information and a second set of health information includes logic to collect a diary completed by the subject or clinician.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic for collecting a first set of health information and a second set of health information includes logic to collect a questionnaire completed by the subject or clinician.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic for collecting a first set of health information and a second set of health information includes logic to collect a response of the subject or clinician to a medical event.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic to permit an adjustment of the clock of the health monitoring device to the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule includes logic for displaying the screen requiring a response from the subject or clinician.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the logic for displaying the screen requiring a response from the subject or clinician provides a questionnaire for completion by the said subject or clinician.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the logic for displaying the screen requiring a response from the subject or clinician provides a report for completion by the said subject or clinician.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the logic for displaying the screen requiring a response from the subject or clinician includes a request for confirmation of a medical event.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the logic for displaying the screen requiring a response from the subject or clinician provides a request for a subjective response of the said subject or clinician to a medical event.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the time shifting module further includes logic for selecting the second event of interest for use in training a user of the health monitoring device.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the time shifting module further includes logic for selecting the second event of interest for use in testing an application of the health monitoring device.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic to permit an adjustment of the clock of the health monitoring device includes logic to permit advancing the operating date-time of the health monitoring device.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic to permit an adjustment of the clock of the health monitoring device includes logic to permit retrogressing the operating date-time of the health monitoring device to an earlier operating date-time of the health monitoring device.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the time shifting module automatically jumps from the first event of interest to immediately before or at the second event of interest.

22. A method of operating a health monitoring device, the method comprising:

collecting in the health monitoring device a first set of health information from a subject or clinician during a first time range and a second set of health information from the subject or clinician during a second time range, at least one of the second set of health information and the second time range being determined in part by a content of the first set of health information, the first and second time ranges being part of a health monitoring schedule, wherein the health monitoring schedule is based on a study definition;

recording the first and second sets of health information in the health monitoring device;

including a time stamp with the recorded health information; and

initiating a time shifting mode that permits a user of the health monitoring device to adjust an operating date-time of the health monitoring device from a first event of interest in the health monitoring schedule, corresponding to a first operational state of the device, to at or relative to a second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule, corresponding to a second operational state of the device, the health monitoring device operating at the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule in the same manner and collecting heath information from the subject or clinician in the same manner as if the health monitoring device had reached the second event of interest without intervention by the user and resulting in activation of the second operational state of the health monitoring device,

wherein adjustment of the operating date-time of the health monitoring device from the first event of interest in the health monitoring schedule to the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule changes an operational state of the device without modification to the study definition.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein collecting the health information includes collecting diary entries.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein collecting in a health monitoring device a first set of health information and a second set of health information includes determining the first and second time ranges that correspond to at least one of a specified time of day, and a period relative to an event.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein initiating a time shifting mode that permits a user of the health monitoring device to adjust the operating date-time of the health monitoring device includes the user adjusting the operating date-time of the health monitoring device by selecting an event in lieu of specifying an actual time.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein initiating a time shifting mode that permits a user of the health monitoring device to adjust the operating date-time of the health monitoring device includes setting the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule to a specific point relative to a time range during which the subject or clinician is permitted to enter health information.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein initiating a time shifting mode that permits a user of the health monitoring device to adjust the operating date-time of the health monitoring device includes setting the clock of the health monitoring device to a specific point in a schedule of a medical treatment.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein initiating a time shifting mode that permits a user of the health monitoring device to adjust the operating date-time of the health monitoring device includes setting the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule to a point in time selected as a result of a calculation based on health information collected prior to the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein operating the health monitoring device comprises providing the health monitoring schedule with a plurality of branches, and wherein the health monitoring schedule executes one or more of the branches based on health information received from the subject or clinician.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein collecting in a health monitoring device a first set of health information and a second set of health information includes logic for collecting at least one of a diary completed by the subject or clinician, a questionnaire completed by the subject or clinician, and a response of the subject or clinician to a medical event.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein initiating a time shifting mode that permits a user of the health monitoring device to adjust the operating date-time of the health monitoring device includes setting the second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule to a time in the health monitoring schedule when the health monitoring application first causes a screen to be displayed that requires a response from the subject or clinician.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein initiating a time shifting mode that permits a user of the data logging application to adjust an operating date-time of the health monitoring device to a second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule includes permitting the user to advance the operating date-time of the health monitoring device.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein initiating a time shifting mode that permits a user of the data logging application to adjust an operating date-time of the health monitoring device to a second event of interest in the health monitoring schedule includes permitting the user to retrogress the operating date-time of the health monitoring device to an earlier operating date-time of the health monitoring device.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein the time shifting mode permits selection of the second event of interest for use in training the user of the data logging application.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein the time shifting mode permits selection of the second event of interest for use in testing the data logging application.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein the time shifting mode automatically jumps from the first event of interest to immediately before or at the second event of interest.