Remote psychological evaluation

• US 8,790,258 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IZEX Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IZEX Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Stark, John G., Oyen, Duane, Mowery, Blair P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, Bill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/689,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/225 of the fingers, e.g. by monitoring hand-grip force
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6812 Orthopaedic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0134 with two orthogonal pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/016 in standing position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0167 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0125 the device articulating around a single pivot-point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

Instrumented orthoses with more sophisticated structures provide for coordinated support and rehabilitation of complex joints and multiple injured joints. Improved instrumented orthoses can include hinges that can rotate in multiple different planes. Particularly preferred embodiments include a shoulder brace with a hand hold and a lower extremities brace. Preferably, a control unit monitors the output Of transducers used to instrument the brace. A patient can be prompted by the control unit for the performance of a variety of different monitored exercises.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a display,

an input device,

a memory device, and

a processor communicatively coupled to the display, the memory, and the input device,

the memory including instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

present an orthopedic treatment program regime to a user via the display;

present questions, using the display, for evaluating a psychological state of the user via the display, wherein the psychological state of the user includes the user'"'"'s own perceived level of disability;

receive answers to the questions from the user via the input device;

determine, using the processor, the psychological state of the user; and

based upon the determination of the psychological state of the user, modify the orthopedic treatment regime using the processor.

2. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the processor has analog to digital multiplexing capability.

3. The medical device of claim 1, comprising an output interface.

4. The medical device of claim 3, wherein the memory includes instructions which cause the processor to:

evaluate emotional change of the user; and

send the evaluation of the emotional change to a health care provider via the output interface.

5. The medical device of claim 3, wherein the output interface is one of:

an RS232 port and a radio transmitter.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the questions relate to depression.

7. The medical device of claim 6, wherein determining the psychological state of the user comprises performing a statistical analysis on the answers to obtain an objective quantitative measure of depression.

8. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the memory further includes instructions which cause the processor to:

receive an indication of the position of one or more joints of the user from a physiological sensor connected to an orthosis;

calculate compliance information indicative of the user'"'"'s compliance with the orthopedic treatment regime; and

store the compliance information in the memory.

9. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the device is further connected to electrodes configured to measure a galvanic skin response.

10. The medical device of claim 1, having a size such that it can be held in the hand of a patient.

11. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the memory further includes instructions which cause the processor to:

determine that the psychological state of the user is severely depressed based upon the answers; and

display a message to the patient to seek help via the display.

12. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the orthopedic treatment regime is modified by increasing the pace of the treatment regime.

13. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the orthopedic treatment regime is modified by changing a format of at least one exercise included in the treatment regime.

14. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the memory further includes instructions which cause the processor to:

determine that the psychological state of the user is severely depressed based upon the answers; and

send information indicating that the user is severely depressed to a health professional'"'"'s computer terminal via an output interface.

15. A method for monitoring a patient undergoing a treatment plan, the method comprising:

presenting an orthopedic treatment regime to a user on a display;

presenting questions for evaluating a psychological state of the user on the display, wherein the psychological state of the user includes the user'"'"'s own perceived level of disability;

receiving answers to the questions via an input device;

using a computer processor to perform the operations of;

determining the psychological state of the user including the user'"'"'s perceived level of disability; and

based upon the determination of the psychological state of the user, modifying, using the processor, the orthopedic treatment program regime.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the questions relate to depression.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining a psychological state of the user comprises performing a statistical analysis on the answers to obtain an objective quantitative measure of depression.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising receiving physiological measurements indicating the position of one or more joints of the user from a physiological sensor connected to an orthosis;

calculating compliance information indicative of the user'"'"'s compliance with the orthopedic treatment regime; and

storing the compliance information in a memory, the memory communicatively coupled to the processor.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising:

determining that the psychological state of the user is severely depressed based upon the answers; and

sending information indicating that the user is severely depressed to a health professional'"'"'s computer terminal via an output interface.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising:

determine that the psychological state of the user is severely depressed based upon the answers; and

display a message to the user to seek help via the display.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the orthopedic treatment regime is modified by increasing the pace of the treatment regime.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the orthopedic treatment regime is modified by changing a format of at least one exercise included in the treatment regime.

23. The method of claim 15, comprising:

evaluating emotional change of the user; and

sending the evaluation of the emotional change to a health care provider via the output interface.