Method for remote review of clinical data over a vulnerable system

• US 8,396,801 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vocera Acquisition Corporation (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mvisum Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Dala, Seema, Dala, Praveen
• Primary Examiner(s): Coppola, Jacob C.
• Application Number:
  US13/564,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 223 Days
• Field of Search: 705/52
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/901 Digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/904 Usage protection of distributed files
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/909 Usage charge determination

Abstract

A method for remotely reviewing medical data allows medical data to be transmitted over a vulnerable network to a physician'"'"'s mobile device. The method sends data to be transmitted through a console, and a data server to reach the mobile device. The method includes separating patient'"'"'s medical file into a demographics layer and a data layer, separately encrypting the demographic layer and data layer using different encryption keys, and providing servers in a communication and processing system with a decryption key for the layer processed by such server. Medical file data may be separated into more than two layers. After reviewing the data, physicians may transmit their comments from their mobile device to the requestor by going through the same system. Separately encrypting different parts of a patient medical record enables processing and communication of patient medical files by intermediary servers without risking disclosure of sensitive patient information.

Claims

1. A method for communicating a patient medical file of a patient, said medical file including personal demographic information, medical data and a diagnostic image, the method comprising:

separating the patient medical file into a plurality of layers including a demographic layer comprising the demographic information and a data layer comprising the medical data and the diagnostic image;

selecting a portion of the data layer including at least a portion of the diagnostic image on a console;

encrypting the demographic layer using a first encryption key;

encrypting the data layer using a second encryption key, wherein the second encryption key is different from the first encryption key;

sending the encrypted demographic layer and data layer to a server which is capable of decrypting one of the encrypted demographic layer or the data layer but not both;

decrypting the data layer at the server;

performing an operation on the decrypted data layer comprising selecting a second portion of the diagnostic image;

re-encrypting at least a portion of the processed data layer including the selected second portion of the image;

transmitting a notification message from the server to a mobile device indicating the availability of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer;

transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device;

reviewing the medical data on the mobile device;

receiving a message from the mobile device at the server; and

forwarding at least a portion of the received message from the server to the console.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the medical data is acquired from a database.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring medical data from a medical diagnostic device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring medical data from an electrocardiogram system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring medical data from a medical imaging system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring vital signs medical data from a physiological monitoring system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical data are automatically selected by the console.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the database is one of an electrocardiogram database, electronic medical records database, and a DICOM database.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the medical data to reduce the amount of data to be transmitted.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the medical data prior to transmission to present at least a portion of the medical data in a format suitable for display on the handheld device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning an importance to the message from the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is configured as a server software module operating within the console, and wherein:

sending the encrypted demographic layer and data layer to a server which is capable of decrypting one of the encrypted demographic layer or the data layer but not both

comprises passing the encrypted demographic layer and data layer from the console software module to the server software module that is capable of decrypting one of the encrypted demographic layer or the data layer but not both;

transmitting a notification message from the server to a mobile device indicating the availability of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer comprises transmitting a notification message from the server software module to the mobile device indicating the availability of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer;

transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device comprises transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device via the server software module;

receiving a message from the mobile device at the server comprises receiving the message from the mobile device at the server at the console via the server software module; and

forwarding at least a portion of the received message from the server to the console comprises passing the received message from the server software module to the console software module.

41. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing a pattern or feature within the medical file;

automatically recalling patient data relevant to the recognized pattern or feature; and

transmitting the recalled patient data to the mobile device.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

determining a potential diagnosis based on the recognized pattern or feature within a data device and

automatically obtaining additional data that is relevant to the determined potential diagnosis.

13. A method for communicating a patient medical file of a patient, said medical file including personal demographic information, medical data and a diagnostic image, the method comprising:

separating the patient medical file into a plurality of layers including a demographic layer comprising the demographic information and a data layer comprising the medical data and the diagnostic image;

selecting a portion of the data layer including at least a portion of the diagnostic image on a console;

encrypting the demographic layer using a first encryption key;

encrypting the data layer using a second encryption key, wherein the second encryption key is different from the first encryption key;

sending the encrypted demographic layer and data layer to a server which is capable of decrypting one of the encrypted demographic layer or the data layer but not both;

decrypting the data layer at the server;

performing an operation on the decrypted data layer comprising selecting a second portion of the diagnostic image;

re-encrypting at least a portion of the processed data layer including the selected second portion of the image;

transmitting a notification message from the server to a mobile device indicating the availability of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer;

transmitting a download message from the mobile device to the server requesting download of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer;

transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device;

displaying medical data on the mobile device;

receiving input from a user of the mobile device;

sending a message containing the received input from the mobile device to the server;

receiving the message containing the received input at the server; and

forwarding at least a portion of the received input from the server to console.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device comprises transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device using error minimization techniques.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising processing the diagnostic image to render it compatible with display properties of the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the display properties of the mobile device are stored in the server.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the display properties of the mobile device are obtained from the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the diagnostic image is processed based upon the display resolution of the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the diagnostic image is processed to produce a processed image spanning a region of interest that is less than the entire diagnostic image.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a message from the mobile device indicating a region of interest of the diagnostic image;

processing the diagnostic image to produce a processed image spanning the region of interest that is less than the entire diagnostic image; and

re-encrypting at least a portion of the processed data layer including the processed diagnostic image; and

transmitting the re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the medical data is a movie file, and further comprising processing the movie file to render it compatible with display properties of the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the movie file is processed based upon the display resolution of the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein each frame of the movie file is processed to produce a processed image frame spanning a region of interest that is less than the entire frame of the movie file.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a message from the mobile device indicating a region of interest of the movie file;

processing each frame of the movie file to produce a processed image frame spanning the region of interest that is less than the entire frame of the movie file; and

re-encrypting at least a portion of the processed data layer including each processed frame of the movie file; and

transmitting the re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein the medical data includes a real-time data stream, and further comprising processing the real-time data stream to render it compatible with display properties of the mobile device.

26. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting a second notification message from the server to the mobile device indicating the availability of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer when the mobile device does not send a message requesting download of the available encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer within a predetermined amount of time.

27. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting a second notification message from the server to the mobile device indicating the availability of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer using a different wireless data link when the mobile device does not send a message requesting download of the available encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer within a predetermined amount of time.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the server receives a message delivery confirmation from a wireless network through which the second notification message was sent to the mobile device.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the server sends a reminder message to the mobile device when the available encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer is not downloaded within a predetermined time-span.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising sending a message from the server to the console when the mobile device has not sent a message requesting download of the available encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer within a predetermined amount of time.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein all of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer is transmitted to the mobile by the server.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising authenticating a user of the mobile device prior to sending data to the mobile device.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein authenticating the user includes receiving a password input on the mobile device.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein authenticating the user includes receiving a unique identifier of the mobile device.

35. The method of claim 13, wherein messages are sent through a cellular telephone network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein messages are sent as SMS messages.

37. The method of claim 13, further comprising recognizing automatically a clinical condition in the medical data, wherein the data layer medical data is selected based upon the recognized clinical condition.

38. The method of claim 13, wherein the server is configured as a server software module operating within the console, and wherein:

sending the encrypted demographic layer and data layer to a server which is capable of decrypting one of the encrypted demographic layer or the data layer but not both comprises sending the encrypted demographic layer and data layer from a console software module to a server software module which is capable of decrypting one of the encrypted demographic layer or the data layer but not both;

decrypting the data layer at the server comprises decrypting the data layer at the server software module;

transmitting a notification message from the server to a mobile device indicating the availability of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer comprises transmitting a notification message from the server software module to a mobile device indicating the availability of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer;

transmitting a download message from the mobile device to the server requesting download of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer comprises transmitting a download message from the mobile device to the console via the server software module requesting download of the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer;

transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to a mobile device comprises transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to a mobile device from the console via the server software module;

receiving the message containing the received input at the server comprises receiving the message at the console via the server software module; and

forwarding at least a portion of the received input from the server to the console comprises passing the received message from the server software module to the console software module.

39. The method of claim 13, further comprising rendering a three-dimensional medical data set so an image can be displayed on the mobile device as an isometric image.

40. The method of claim 13, further comprising rendering a three-dimensional medical data set so a movie can be displayed on the mobile device as a rotating isometric movie.