System and method for providing enhanced weight alert notification during automated patient management

• US 8,362,903 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lindh, Par, Fellows, Donovan Benton, Meyer, Timothy E., Jones, Paul, Tobacman, Kenneth I.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/432,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20090278696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/665, 340/666, 340/667, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3742 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• 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

A system and method for providing enhanced weight alert notification during automated patient management is presented. A plurality of weight measurements in an automated patient environment from a weight monitoring device for a patient during an observation period is remotely obtained. A raw baseline weight for the patient is determined based on a function of the weight measurements. Irregularities in the weight measurements are identified. The raw baseline weight is processed into a baseline weight by application of a correction coefficient to the irregularities. Weight remotely measured in the automated patient environment for the patient on a substantially regular basis is obtained. Changes in the weight are identified by periodic comparison to the baseline weight. An alert notification is generated in response to the change in weight.

Claims

1. A system for performing actions in response to enhanced weight monitoring during automated patient management, comprising:

a baseline weight observation module configured to obtain a plurality of weight measurements remotely measured in an automated patient environment for a patient during an observation period;

an analysis module configured to determine a raw baseline weight for the patient based on the weight measurements and adjusting the raw baseline weight through processing of irregularities in the weight measurements into a baseline weight;

a weight observation module configured to obtain weight remotely measured in the automated patient environment for the patient on a substantially regular basis;

a monitor module configured to identify changes in the weight by periodic comparison to the baseline weight; and

an action module configured to take action in response to the periodic comparison upon at least one of the changes exceeding a prescribed extent of change over the baseline weight.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a behavioral evaluation module configured to identify behavioral conditions comprising actions undertaken by the patient or a third party affecting how the weight measurements are remotely measured.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the behavioral conditions are selected from a group comprising false information provided by the patient or the third party, wrong procedure followed in how the weight measurements are remotely measured, and wrong time of when the weight measurements are remotely measured.

4. A system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a systemic evaluation module configured to identify systemic conditions comprising data values measured under procedural deviation from how the weight measurements are remotely measured;

wherein the systemic conditions are selected from a group comprising different scale used in remotely measuring the weight, defective scale used in remotely measuring the weight, and a person other than the patient weighed for the weight.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the baseline weight is a result of a cumulative analysis based on one of the plurality of weight measurements of the observation period or a subset of the plurality of weight measurements of the observation period.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the baseline weight is a result of a statistical analysis expressed as:

w_BL=ƒ

(w_i;

{w₁,w₂,w₃, . . . , w_n})

where w_BL is baseline weight, ƒ

(w_i) is a statistical function that includes the adjustment of the irregularities, and n is number of individual weight measurements from the observation period.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the action comprises an alert notification adjusted to fit the changes in patient weight.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the raw baseline weight is determined from a range of weight measurements comprising a first period of weight measurements, a last period of weight measurements, a next period of weight measurements, and a floating period of weight measurements.

9. A method for performing actions in response to enhanced weight monitoring during automated patient management, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of weight measurements remotely measured in an automated patient environment for a patient during an observation period;

determining a raw baseline weight for the patient based on the weight measurements and adjusting the raw baseline weight through processing of irregularities in the weight measurements into a baseline weight;

obtaining weight remotely measured in the automated patient environment for the patient on a substantially regular basis;

identifying changes in the weight by periodic comparison to the baseline weight; and

taking action in response to the periodic comparison upon at least one of the changes exceeding a prescribed extent of change over the baseline weight,

wherein the baseline weight is a result of a statistical analysis expressed as;

w_BL=ƒ

(w_i;

{w₁,w₂,w₃, . . . , w_n})

where w_BL is baseline weight, ƒ

(w_i) is a statistical function that includes the adjustment of the irregularities, and n is number of individual weight measurements from the observation period.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

identifying behavioral conditions comprising actions undertaken by the patient or a third party affecting how the weight measurements are remotely measured.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the behavioral conditions are selected from a group comprising false information provided by the patient or the third party, wrong procedure followed in how the weight measurements are remotely measured, and wrong time of when the weight measurements are remotely measured.

12. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

identifying systemic conditions comprising data values measured under procedural deviation from how the weight measurements are remotely measured, wherein the systemic conditions are selected from a group comprising different scale used in remotely measuring the weight, defective scale used in remotely measuring the weight, and a person other than the patient weighed for the weight.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the baseline weight is a result of a cumulative analysis based on one of the plurality of weight measurements of the observation period or a subset of the plurality of weight measurements of the observation period.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the action comprises an alert notification adjusted to fit the changes in patient weight.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein the raw baseline weight is determined from a range of weight measurements comprising a first period of weight measurements, a last period of weight measurements, a next period of weight measurements, and a floating period of weight measurements.

16. A system for providing enhanced weight alert notification during automated patient management, comprising:

a baseline weight observation module configured to obtain a plurality of weight measurements remotely in an automated patient environment from a weight monitoring device for a patient during an observation period;

a determination module configured to determine a raw baseline weight for the patient based on a function of the weight measurements;

an analysis module configured to identify irregularities in the weight measurements;

an evaluation module configured to adjust the raw baseline weight through processing of the irregularities into a baseline weight;

a weight observation module configured to obtain weight remotely measured in the automated patient environment for the patient on a substantially regular basis;

a monitor module configured to identify changes in the weight by periodic comparison to the baseline weight; and

an alert module configured to generate an alert notification in response to the change in weight.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the alert notification adjusted to fit the changes in patient weight.

18. A system according to claim 16, further comprising:

an error module configured to check the weight measurements against an error range and to discard the weight measurements outside the error range from the raw baseline weight.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein the determination module is further configured to redetermine the raw baseline weight for the patient based on the function of the weight measurements from a further observation period.

20. A method for providing enhanced weight alert notification during automated patient management, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of weight measurements remotely in an automated patient environment from a weight monitoring device for a patient during an observation period;

determining a raw baseline weight for the patient based on a function of the weight measurements;

identifying irregularities in the weight measurements;

adjusting the raw baseline weight through processing of the irregularities into a baseline weight;

obtaining weight remotely measured in the automated patient environment for the patient on a substantially regular basis;

identifying changes in the weight by periodic comparison to the baseline weight; and

generating an alert notification in response to the change in weight.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the alert notification adjusted to fit the changes in patient weight.

22. A method according to claim 20, further comprising:

checking the weight measurements against an error range; and

discarding the weight measurements outside the error range from the raw baseline weight.

23. A method according to claim 20, further comprising:

redetermining the raw baseline weight for the patient based on the function of the weight measurements from a further observation period.