Computer-implemented system and method for evaluating ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring of cardiac rhythm disorders
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for evaluating ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring of cardiac rhythm disorders, comprising the steps of:
- registering a patient online and assembling medical records for the patient;
registering an ambulatory ECG monitor, including a monitor RFID tag, that comprises leadless integrated sensing electrodes independently suspended from a flexible housing that encloses an ECG recording circuitry connected to the electrodes, to the patient;
assigning a tracking number to the monitor in relation to an ambulatory ECG monitoring and matching the tracking number to the patient;
associating the tracking number with an envelope RFID tag accompanying an envelope in which to send the monitor for an evaluation upon a completion of the ambulatory ECG monitoring;
tracking the physical whereabouts of the monitor through the tracking number of the monitor RFID tag and the envelope RFID tag prior to receipt of the monitor for the evaluation;
retrieving an electrocardiogram from the recording circuitry;
evaluating the electrocardiogram and the medical records for the patient against diagnostic criteria comprising statistical correlations of cardiac disease states and cardiac rhythm patterns using a processor;
following up with the patient within a fixed, predetermined amount of time after evaluating the electrocardiogram and medical records; and
upon making a finding of a cardiac rhythm abnormality when the diagnostic criteria is met, automatically referring the patient to a cardiac rhythm specialist online, including sending the cardiac rhythm abnormality finding and automatically scheduling an appointment for the patient with the cardiac rhythm specialist,wherein the steps are performed by a suitably programmed computer.
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Abstract
A computer-implemented method for evaluating ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring of cardiac rhythm disorders is provided. A patient is registered online and medical records for the patient are assembled. An ambulatory ECG monitor that includes leadless integrated sensing electrodes independently suspended from a flexible housing, is registered to the patient. An electrocardiogram is retrieved from the recording circuitry. The electrocardiogram and the medical records are evaluated against diagnostic criteria. Upon making a finding when the diagnostic criteria is met, the patient is referred to a cardiac rhythm specialist online, which includes sending the cardiac rhythm abnormality finding. As a result, both physicians and patients enjoy an ease-of-use not found with conventional ambulatory ECG monitors. By bypassing determining whether a referral is needed and separately establishing the referral, patients can be treated more completely and more rapidly than through conventional patient referral, especially for serious illness, with less cost and less delay.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for evaluating ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring of cardiac rhythm disorders, comprising the steps of:
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registering a patient online and assembling medical records for the patient; registering an ambulatory ECG monitor, including a monitor RFID tag, that comprises leadless integrated sensing electrodes independently suspended from a flexible housing that encloses an ECG recording circuitry connected to the electrodes, to the patient; assigning a tracking number to the monitor in relation to an ambulatory ECG monitoring and matching the tracking number to the patient; associating the tracking number with an envelope RFID tag accompanying an envelope in which to send the monitor for an evaluation upon a completion of the ambulatory ECG monitoring; tracking the physical whereabouts of the monitor through the tracking number of the monitor RFID tag and the envelope RFID tag prior to receipt of the monitor for the evaluation; retrieving an electrocardiogram from the recording circuitry; evaluating the electrocardiogram and the medical records for the patient against diagnostic criteria comprising statistical correlations of cardiac disease states and cardiac rhythm patterns using a processor; following up with the patient within a fixed, predetermined amount of time after evaluating the electrocardiogram and medical records; and upon making a finding of a cardiac rhythm abnormality when the diagnostic criteria is met, automatically referring the patient to a cardiac rhythm specialist online, including sending the cardiac rhythm abnormality finding and automatically scheduling an appointment for the patient with the cardiac rhythm specialist, wherein the steps are performed by a suitably programmed computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer-implemented method for diagnosing cardiac rhythm disorders through recorded ambulatory electrocardiograms, comprising the steps of:
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registering a patient online with a referral center and assembling medical records for the patient in a centralized database maintained by the referral center; registering an ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitor, including a monitor RFID tag, that comprises leadless integrated sensing electrodes independently suspended from a flexible housing that encloses an ECG recording circuitry connected to the electrodes, to the patient; assigning a tracking number to the monitor in relation to an ambulatory ECG monitoring and matching the tracking number to the patient in the database; associating the tracking number with an envelope RFID tag accompanying an envelope in which to send the monitor for an evaluation upon a completion of the ambulatory ECG monitoring; tracking the physical whereabouts of the monitor through the tracking number of the monitor RFID tag and the envelope RFID tag prior to receipt of the monitor for the evaluation; following the completion of the ambulatory ECG monitoring by the patient, performing analysis and referral through the referral center, comprising; providing a status upon demand regarding the analysis and referral to the patient keyed to the tracking number; retrieving an electrocardiogram from the recording circuitry; and evaluating the electrocardiogram and the medical records for the patient against diagnostic criteria comprising statistical correlations of cardiac disease states and cardiac rhythm patterns using a processor; following up with the patient within a fixed, predetermined amount of time after evaluating the electrocardiogram and medical records; and upon making a finding of a cardiac rhythm abnormality when the diagnostic criteria is met, automatically undertaking a direct referral, comprising; setting an appointment for the patient with a cardiac rhythm specialist online, including sending the electrocardiogram, medical records, and cardiac rhythm abnormality finding; and notifying the patient of the appointment with confirmation, wherein the steps are performed by a suitably programmed computer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-implemented method for automated diagnosis and follow up ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring, comprising the steps of:
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enrolling a patient in a referral center; registering an ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitor, including a monitor RFID tag, to the patient; assigning a tracking number to the monitor in relation to an ambulatory ECG monitoring and matching the tracking number to the patient; associating the tracking number with an envelope RFID tag accompanying an envelope in which to send the monitor for an evaluation upon a completion of the ambulatory ECG monitoring; tracking the physical whereabouts of the monitor through the tracking number of the monitor RFID tag and the envelope RFID tag prior to receipt of the monitor for the evaluation; retrieving an electrocardiogram from a recording circuitry of the ambulatory electrocardiographic monitor following the ambulatory ECG monitoring; evaluating the electrocardiogram against diagnostic criteria comprising statistical correlations of cardiac disease states and cardiac rhythm patterns appearing in the electrocardiogram during the ambulatory monitoring using a processor; and automatically performing follow up care of the patient through the referral center based on outcomes from the evaluation of the electrocardiogram within a fixed, predetermined amount of time after evaluating the electrocardiogram, wherein the steps are performed by a suitably programmed computer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification