Method and system for collecting and analyzing holter data employing a web site

• US 8,332,233 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2004
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eResearchTechnology, Inc. (Explorer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomedical Systems Corporation (Explorer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ott, James E., Kidder, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HIEP VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/023,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,906 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

A central server controls the receipt and analysis of patient medical data and patient information. The central server receives patient medical data and patient information from a sensor or a remote computer. A storage system of the central server stores the received patient medical data, patient information, and the associated medical report prepared by the analysis software on the central server after analysis of the patient medical data. The medical report associated with the patient medical data is transmitted from the central server to the remote computer. Also, a method controls the acquisition and analysis of patient medical data over a network by a central server from a remote computer operably interconnected by the network with the central server.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing ECG data of a plurality of patients over a network, said method comprising:

establishing a first connection between a central server and a first device having access to a first ECG data of a first patient at a first remote site, said first remote site being remote with respect to the central server;

transferring the first ECG data from the first device to the central server via the established connection;

storing the first ECG data in a data storage area of the central server;

providing by the central server a user interface to a first user at a first analysis site, said provided user interface enabling the first user to interact with the stored first ECG data on the data storage area of the central server without downloading the stored first ECG data to the first user at the first analysis site, said first analysis site being remote with respect to the central server and the remote first site;

receiving first instructions from the first user at the first analysis site via the provided user interface for the central server to execute ECG analysis software, wherein the received first instructions from the first user include first analysis setup parameters and first analysis options for configuring the ECG data analysis software on the central server for analyzing the stored first ECG data on the central server;

in response to and in conjunction with the received instructions, analyzing the stored first ECG data on the central server based on the received first analysis setup parameters and first analysis options without downloading the stored ECG data from the central server to a computing device separate from the central server, and generating a first report on the central server based on said analyzing the stored first ECG data;

transmitting the first report related to the analyzed first ECG data from the central server to the first user;

establishing a connection between the central server and a second device having access to a second ECG data of a second patient at a second remote site, said second ECG data different from the first ECG data, said second remote site being remote with respect to the central server and with respect to the first remote site;

transferring the second ECG data from the second device to the central server via the established connection;

storing the second ECG data in the data storage area of the central server;

providing by the central server the user interface to a second user at a second analysis site, said second user different from the first user, said provided user interface enabling the second user to interact with the stored second ECG data on the data storage area of the central server without downloading the stored second ECG data to the second user at the second analysis site, said second analysis site being remote with respect to the central server, the first analysis site, the remote first site and the remote second site;

receiving second instructions from the second user at the second analysis site via the provided user interface for the central server to execute ECG analysis software, wherein the received second instructions from the second user include second analysis setup parameters and second analysis options for configuring the ECG data analysis software on the central server for analyzing the stored second ECG data on the central server;

wherein the second analysis setup parameters received from the second user are different from the first analysis setup parameters received from the first user and the second analysis options received from the second user are different from the first analysis options received from the first user;

in response to and in conjunction with the received second instructions, analyzing the stored second ECG data on the central server based on the received second analysis setup parameters and second analysis options without downloading the stored ECG data from the central server to a computing device separate from the central server, and generating a second report on the central server based on said analyzing the stored second ECG data, said second report different from the first report; and

transmitting the second report related to the analyzed second ECG data from the central server to the second user wherein the central server analyzes two different ECG data in two different ways as specified by two different users so that the first ECG data is analyzed according to the first analysis setup parameters and the first analysis options specified by the first user and so that the second ECG data is analyzed according to the second analysis setup parameters and the second analysis options specified by second first user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring comprises the sensed ECG data is transferred from the sensor via a port on a remote computer over the communication network to the central server so that the ECG data is stored on the central server and is not stored by the remote computer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor corresponds to a mapped drive and wherein transferring the sensed ECG data from the computer to the central server comprises transferring the data from the sensor to a storage area of the central server without intermediate storage.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering the user at a web page of the user interface, wherein the central server is configured for hosting the web page and wherein the computer is configured with a web browser for accessing the web page and displaying analysis options to analyze the sensed ECG data through the web page to be sent to the ECG data analysis software on the central server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each device is a sensor configured to sense the ECG data from the patient, and said storing includes transferring the ECG data from the sensor to the data storage area without intermediate storage.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each device is a computer with access to a sensor configured to sense the ECG data of the patient.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein providing comprises providing a web page of the user interface hosted by the central server and for displaying the analysis setup parameters and the analysis options to be used to analyze the ECG data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the analysis options include at least one of ST depression limit, ST elevation limit, minimum pause limit, tachycardia rate, bradycardia rate, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) minimum rate, supraventricular Ectopic (SVE) minimum rate and supraventricular ectopic (SVE) prematurity.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing a connection further comprises mapping a memory area of each device to a storage area of the central server assigned to the patient, said memory area including the ECG data of the patient.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing a connection comprises establishing a connection between a server and a sensor for transferring the ECG data from said sensor to said server.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the data storage area on the central server includes a data storage area assigned to the patient, and wherein said storing comprises storing the ECG data at the data storage area assigned to the patient at the central server.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising decompressing the ECG data and storing the decompressed ECG data at a data storage area of the central server.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the ECG data includes patient demographics information.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the ECG data is Holter data and wherein the report is a Holter analysis report.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the analysis setup parameters include at least one of define calibration beat, define normal beat, create beat template, analyze paced beats only, ST analysis (inverted or uninverted) and QT analysis (inverted or uninverted).

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the analysis options include at least one of ST depression limit, ST elevation limit, minimum pause limit, tachycardia rate, bradycardia rate, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) minimum rate, supraventricular Ectopic (SVE) minimum rate and supraventricular ectopic (SVE) prematurity.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the analysis setup parameters include at least one of define calibration beat, define normal beat, create beat template, analyze paced beats only, ST analysis (inverted or uninverted) and QT analysis (inverted or uninverted).

18. A system for analyzing ECG data of a patient over a communication network, said system comprising:

a central server;

an interface for transferring first ECG data from a first source to the central server over the communication network and for transferring second ECG data from a second source to the central server over the communication network wherein the first source and the second source are remote from each other and remote from the central server, said second ECG data different from the first ECG data;

a storage area at the central server for storing the received first ECG data and the received second ECG data;

ECG data analysis software executed by the central server for analyzing the stored first ECG data and the stored second ECG data without downloading said stored first ECG data and the stored second ECG data to a computing device separate from the central server;

a user interface at the central server for providing various analysis options to a first user at first analysis site, said provided analysis options enabling the first user to interact with the stored first ECG data at the central server without downloading the first stored ECG data to the first user from the first analysis site, said first analysis site being remote with respect to the central server and the first and second sources;

wherein the first user interface receives first instructions from the first user at the first analysis site in response to the provided analysis options, wherein the received first instructions from the first user include first analysis setup parameters and first analysis options for configuring the ECG data analysis software on the central server;

said user interface at the central server for providing various analysis options to a second user at a second analysis site, said second user different from the first user, said provided analysis options enabling the second user to interact with the stored second ECG data at the central server without downloading the stored second ECG data to the user from the analysis site, said second analysis site being remote with respect to the central server, the first analysis site and the first and second sources;

wherein the second user interface receives second instructions from the second user at the second analysis site in response to the provided analysis options, wherein the received second instructions from the second user include second analysis setup parameters and second analysis options for configuring the ECG data analysis software on the central server;

wherein the second analysis setup parameters received from the second user are different from the first analysis setup parameters received from the first user and the second analysis options received from the second user are different from the first analysis options received from the first user; and

a processor on the central server for executing the ECG data analysis software;

to analyze the stored first ECG data,

to generate a first report on the central server based on the received first analysis setup parameters and first analysis options, and

to notify a designated first computing device that is located remote from the central server that the first report has been generated and is available for access and review,

said user interface for transferring the first report from the central server to the first source; and

said processor on the central server for executing the ECG data analysis software;

to analyze the stored second ECG data,

to generate a second report on the central server based on the received second analysis setup parameters and second analysis options, and

to notify a designated second computing device that is located remote from the central server that the second report has been generated and is available for access and review,

said user interface for transferring the second report from the central server to the second source wherein the processor on the central server analyzes two different ECG data in two different ways as specified by two different users so that the first ECG data is analyzed according to the first analysis setup parameters and the first analysis options specified by the first user and so that the second ECG data is analyzed according to the second analysis setup parameters and the second analysis options specified by second first user.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the sensed ECG data is transferred from the sensor via a port on a remote computer over the communication network to the central server so that the ECG data is stored on the central server and is not stored by the remote computer.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the sensor includes at least one of the following interfaces:

a USB interface and a PCMCIA flashcard interface.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the second interface transfers the sensed ECG data from a computer over the communication network to the central server so that the ECG data is stored on the central server, said computer receiving the sensed ECG data from the sensor.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the sensor is a Holter monitor.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the second interface comprises a web page wherein the computer at the analysis site is configured with a web browser for the user to access the web page hosted by the central server wherein the web page is configured to map the sensor connecting to the computer at the analysis site via the first interface to a storage area of the central server assigned to the patient.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the third interface includes an interface for uses by the user for registering the patient.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the fourth interface comprises a web page wherein the computer at the analysis site is configured with the web browser for the user to access the web page hosted by the central server.

26. The system of claim 18 wherein the ECG data is Holter data and wherein the report is a Holter analysis report.

27. The system of claim 18 wherein the ECG data includes patient demographics information.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein the interface comprises a web page hosted by the central server.

29. The system of claim 18 wherein each source comprises a computer having access to the ECG data.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein each source comprises a sensor that senses the ECG data, said sensor storing the sensed ECG data in a storage area before transferring the sensed ECG data from the sensor to the central server and wherein the ECG data is transferred from the storage area to the central server without intermediate storage.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the computer is configured with a web browser for a user to access the web page.

32. The system of claim 18 wherein the storage area comprises a particular storage area assigned to the patient for storing the ECG data.

33. The system of claim 18 wherein the processor decompresses the ECG data and analyzes the decompressed ECG using the ECG data analysis software on the central server to generate the report on the central server.

34. The system of claim 18 wherein the analysis setup parameters include at least one of define calibration beat, define normal beat, create beat template, analyze paced beats only, ST analysis (inverted or uninverted) and QT analysis (inverted or uninverted).

35. The system of claim 18 wherein the analysis options include at least one of ST depression limit, ST elevation limit, minimum pause limit, tachycardia rate, bradycardia rate, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) minimum rate, supraventricular Ectopic (SVE) minimum rate and supraventricular ectopic (SVE) prematurity.

36. A system for analyzing ECG data of a patient over a communication network, said system comprising:

a central server;

an interface for transferring first ECG data from a first source to the central server over the communication network and for transferring second ECG data from a second source to the central server over the communication network wherein the first source and the second source are remote from each other and remote from the central server, said second ECG data different from the first ECG data;

a storage area at the central server for storing the received first ECG data and the received second ECG data;

ECG data analysis software executed by the central server for analyzing the stored first ECG data and the stored second ECG data without downloading said stored first ECG data and the stored second ECG data to a computing device separate from the central server;

a user interface at the central server for providing various analysis options to a first user at first analysis site, said provided analysis options enabling the first user to interact with the stored first ECG data at the central server without downloading the first stored ECG data to the first user from the first analysis site, said first analysis site being remote with respect to the central server and the first and second sources;

wherein the first user interface receives first instructions from the first user at the first analysis site in response to the provided analysis options, wherein the received first instructions from the first user include first analysis setup parameters and first analysis options for configuring the ECG data analysis software on the central server;

said user interface at the central server for providing various analysis options to a second user at a second analysis site, said second user different from the first user, said provided analysis options enabling the second user to interact with the stored second ECG data at the central server without downloading the stored second ECG data to the user from the analysis site, said second analysis site being remote with respect to the central server, the first analysis site and the first and second sources;

wherein the second user interface receives second instructions from the second user at the second analysis site in response to the provided analysis options, wherein the received second instructions from the second user include second analysis setup parameters and second analysis options for configuring the ECG data analysis software on the central server;

wherein the second analysis setup parameters received from the second user are different from the first analysis setup parameters received from the first user and the second analysis options received from the second user are different from the first analysis options received from the first user; and

a processor on the central server for executing the ECG data analysis software;

to analyze the stored first ECG data and to analyze the stored second ECG data,

to generate a first report on the central server based on the received first analysis setup parameters and first analysis options and to generate a second report on the central server based on the received second analysis setup parameters and second analysis options, and

to notify a designated first computing device that is located remote from the central server that the first report has been generated and is available for access and review and to notify a designated second computing device that is located remote from the central server that the second report has been generated and is available for access and review,

said user interface for transferring the first report from the central server to the first source and said user interface for transferring the second report from the central server to the second source,

wherein the processor of the central server analyzes two different ECG data in two different ways as specified by two different users so that the first ECG data is analyzed according to the first analysis setup parameters and the first analysis options specified by the first user and so that the second ECG data is analyzed according to the second analysis setup parameters and the second analysis options specified by second first user.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the first analysis setup parameters include at least one of define calibration beat, define normal beat, create beat template, analyze paced beats only, ST analysis (inverted or uninverted) and QT analysis (inverted or uninverted) and wherein the second analysis setup parameters include at least one of define calibration beat, define normal beat, create beat template, analyze paced beats only, ST analysis (inverted or uninverted) and QT analysis (inverted or uninverted).

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the first analysis options include at least one of ST depression limit, ST elevation limit, minimum pause limit, tachycardia rate, bradycardia rate, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) minimum rate, supraventricular Ectopic (SVE) minimum rate and supraventricular ectopic (SVE) prematurity and wherein the second analysis options include at least one of ST depression limit, ST elevation limit, minimum pause limit, tachycardia rate, bradycardia rate, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) minimum rate, supraventricular Ectopic (SVE) minimum rate and supraventricular ectopic (SVE) prematurity.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the first analysis setup parameters include at least one of define calibration beat, define normal beat, create beat template, analyze paced beats only, ST analysis (inverted or uninverted) and QT analysis (inverted or uninverted) and wherein the second analysis setup parameters include at least one of define calibration beat, define normal beat, create beat template, analyze paced beats only, ST analysis (inverted or uninverted) and QT analysis (inverted or uninverted).