System and method for providing automatic setup of a remote patient care environment

• US 9,773,060 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gerst, Kimberly S., Somberg, Benjamin L., Jain, Bharat K., Canady, Larry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holcomb, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/516,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,039 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 4
• 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: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system and method for providing automatic setup of a remote patient care environment. Connectivity to a centralized server over a network connection is confirmed. Data reporting for a patient by one or more monitoring devices that are wirelessly connectable is induced through control provided through a user interface. Each of the devices is registered as the device attempts to establish a wireless connection and report the data conditioned on permission for access. Upon granting of the permission for access, the device is wirelessly connected and the data is subsequently received over the wireless connection.

Claims

1. A system for providing automatic setup of a remote patient care environment, comprising:

a first remote interface to confirm connectivity over a network connection to a centralized server;

a configuration module on a patient management device to induce data reporting to the patient management device for a patient by wirelessly connectable monitoring devices through control provided through a user interface,

wherein the induced data reporting establishes an initial connection between each of the monitoring devices and the patient management device,

wherein the induced data reporting causes the configuration module to execute an automated setup procedure enabling the initial connection and subsequent connections between each of the monitoring devices and the patient management device;

a lookup module configured to;

register each of the monitoring devices on a list of devices having permission for access as each monitoring device attempts to establish the initial wireless connection and report the data conditioned on permission for access; and

look up each of the monitoring devices on the list of devices having permission for access as each monitoring device attempts to establish subsequent wireless connections and report the data conditioned on permission for access; and

a second remote interface to wirelessly connect with each of the monitoring devices upon granting of the permission for access and to subsequently receive the data over the initial wireless connection; and

wherein one or more of the monitoring devices are reconfigured by specifying operational parameters to the device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the operational parameters are selected from the group comprising personal identification number, service name, and time clock.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the operational parameters are specified through at least one of the user interface and the centralized server.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the registration of each monitoring device is restricted by class.

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

a reporting module to generate an alert when the connectivity to the centralized server cannot be confirmed.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the remote interface confirms connectivity to the centralized server through access validation, wherein access validation is selected from the group comprising personal identification number, service name, model number, serial number, and device type.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of patient profiles and monitoring device configurations are retrieved from the centralized server over the network connection.

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

a reporting module to provide a status to the centralized server of each monitoring device that has been granted the permission for access.

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

a security module to protect the data received over the wireless connection.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the data protection comprises one or more of:

an authentication submodule to authenticate the data upon receipt as to originating source against those monitoring devices to which permission for access has previously been granted;

an integrity submodule to determine integrity of the data upon receipt by evaluating the data against predetermined limits and thresholds; and

an encryption submodule to encrypt the data while in transit over the wireless connection.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the monitoring devices to which permission for access has previously been granted is wirelessly reconnected and further data is subsequently received over the wireless connection.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the further data has been temporarily stored due to an unsuccessful wireless reconnection attempt.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless connection is implemented as a Bluetooth connection.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring devices comprise an implantable medical device.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more monitoring devices comprise one or more external medical devices selected from the group comprising external devices that operate autonomously;

external devices that operate under patient, attendant, or caregiver control; and

external devices that include a user interface for receiving or providing subjective feedback or communications.

16. A method for providing automatic setup of a remote patient care environment, comprising:

confirming connectivity over a network connection to a centralized server;

inducing data reporting to a patient management device for a patient by wirelessly connectable monitoring devices through control provided through a user interface,

wherein inducing data reporting establishes an initial connection between each of the monitoring devices and the patient management device and causes an automated setup procedure for enabling the initial connection and subsequent connections between each of the monitoring devices and the patient management device;

registering each of the monitoring devices on a list of devices having permission for access as each of the monitoring devices attempts to establish a-wireless-the initial connection and report the data conditioned on permission for access;

looking up each of the monitoring devices on the list of devices having permission for access as each monitoring device attempts to establish subsequent wireless connections and report the data conditioned on permission for access; and

wirelessly connecting with the monitoring device upon granting of the permission for access and subsequently receiving the data over the wireless connection; and

reconfiguring one or more of the monitoring devices by specifying operational parameters to the device.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the operational parameters are selected from the group comprising personal identification number, service name, and time clock.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein the operational parameters are specified through at least one of the user interface and the centralized server.

19. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

restricting the registration of each device by class.

20. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

generating an alert when the connectivity to the centralized server cannot be confirmed.

21. A method according to claim 16, wherein confirming connectivity to a centralized server comprises access validation, wherein access validation is selected from the group comprising personal identification number, service name, model number, serial number, and device type.

22. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

retrieving at least one of patient profiles and device configurations from the centralized server over the network connection.

23. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

providing a status to the centralized server of each device that has been granted the permission for access.

24. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

protecting the data received over the wireless connection.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the data protection comprises one or more of:

authenticating the data upon receipt as to originating source against those monitoring devices to which permission for access has previously been granted;

determining integrity of the data upon receipt by evaluating the data against predetermined limits and thresholds; and

encrypting the data while in transit over the wireless connection.

26. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

wirelessly reconnecting with at least one of the monitoring devices to which permission for access has previously been granted and subsequently receiving further data over the wireless connection.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the further data has been temporarily stored due to an unsuccessful wireless reconnection attempt.

28. A method according to claim 16, wherein the wireless connection is implemented as a Bluetooth connection.

29. A method according to claim 16, wherein the monitoring devices comprise an implantable medical device.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the one or more monitoring devices comprise one or more external medical devices selected from the group comprising external devices that operate autonomously;

external devices that operate under patient, attendant, or caregiver control; and

external devices that include a user interface for receiving or providing subjective feedback or communications.

31. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium holding code for performing the steps of:

confirming connectivity over a network connection to a centralized server;

inducing data reporting directly to a patient management device for a patient by wirelessly connectable monitoring devices through control provided through a user interface,

wherein inducing data reporting establishes an initial connection between each of the monitoring automated setup procedure for enabling the initial connection and subsequent connections between each of the monitoring devices and the patient management device;

registering each of the monitoring devices on a list of devices having permission for conditioned on permission for access;

looking up each of the monitoring devices on the list of devices having permission for access as each monitoring device attempts to establish subsequent wireless connections and report the data conditioned on permission for access; and

wirelessly connecting with each monitoring device upon granting of the permission for access and subsequently receiving the data over the wireless connection; and

reconfiguring one or more of the monitoring devices by specifying operational parameters to the device.