Controlling access to a medical monitoring system

• US 20050119580A1
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Braemar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Braemar Incorporated
• Inventors: Eveland, Doug C.
• Application Number:
  US11/004,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119580A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• 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

Systems and techniques for remote medical monitoring. In one implementation, a method includes monitoring a first medical condition of an individual, the monitoring being initiated remotely by a monitoring service, receiving a query relating to a second medical condition of the individual, transmitting a response to the query to the monitoring service, receiving a prompt from the monitoring service, and transmitting a response to the prompt to the monitoring service. The query is received from the monitoring service. The prompt is designed to provoke a particular action.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring a first medical condition of an individual, the monitoring being initiated remotely by a monitoring service;

receiving, from the monitoring service, a query relating to a second medical condition of the individual;

transmitting a response to the query to the monitoring service; and

receiving a prompt from the monitoring service, the prompt designed to provoke a predetermined action.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a response to the prompt to the monitoring service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received prompt is designed to provoke the monitored individual to undertake the predetermined action.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the query comprises receiving a blood glucose query inquiring as to a blood glucose concentration of the individual.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the query comprises receiving a blood pressure query inquiring as to a blood pressure of the individual.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the query comprises receiving a weight query inquiring as to a weight of the individual.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a medication prompt designed to provoke the monitored individual to medicate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a sample prompt designed to provoke the collection of a sample.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving an electrode check prompt designed to move the monitored individual to check an electrode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a communications check prompt designed to move the monitored individual to ensure that communications with the monitoring service are maintained.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a battery check prompt designed to move the monitored individual to check a charge on the battery.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a physical activity prompt designed to move the monitored individual to curtail or halt physical activity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving the prompt designed to move the monitored individual to lie down or sit down.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input from the monitored individual; and

using the input in responding to the query.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the first medical condition comprises monitoring cardiac function of the individual.

16. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more devices to perform operations comprising:

monitoring a medical condition of an individual;

transmitting a result of the monitoring to a monitoring service;

receiving an activity prompt from the monitoring service, the activity prompt relating an activity that is to be prompted;

prompting the activity related in the activity prompt; and

transmitting a response to the prompt to the monitoring service.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein prompting the activity comprises:

relaying the prompt to the monitored individual; and

receiving a response to the relayed prompt from the monitored individual.

18. The article of claim 16, wherein prompting the activity comprises provoking collection of a sample.

19. The article of claim 18, wherein provoking collection of the sample comprises provoking collection of the result of the monitoring.

20. The article of claim 16, wherein prompting the activity comprises provoking the monitored individual to medicate with a specific medication.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein provoking the monitored individual to medicate comprises provoking the monitored individual to medicate using a pharmaceutical composition having a specific color.

22. The article of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a query from the monitoring service, the query relating to a second medical condition of the individual.

23. The article of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving adapted parameters for the monitoring of the medical condition of the individual; and

adapting the monitoring of the medical condition in accordance with the received parameters.

24. The article of claim 16, wherein transmitting the response comprises transmitting the response without input from the monitored individual.

25. A device comprising:

an electrocardiograph configured to remotely monitor cardiac function of an individual;

a receiver configured to receive a communication from a remote monitoring service;

an output device to relay the communication to the monitored individual;

an input device to receive an input responsive to the relayed communication from the monitored individual; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a response to the communication to the remote monitoring service, the response based at least in part on the input received from the monitored individual.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the receiver is to receive a query relating to a second medical condition of the individual.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein:

the output device is to display a query relating to a diabetic condition of the monitored individual; and

the input device is to receive an input relating to the diabetic condition.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein the receiver is to receive a prompt designed to move the monitored individual to a particular action.

29. A method comprising:

receiving a monitoring result from a remote monitoring device, the remote monitoring device remotely monitoring a first medical condition of an individual;

receiving, from the remote monitoring device, a response to one or more of a prompt to provoke a specific action and a query regarding a second medical condition of the individual; and

adapting the monitoring of the first medical condition of the individual by the remote monitoring device based on the received response.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving the response comprises receiving a response to one or more of an individual-specific prompt and an individual-specific query tailored to the monitored individual.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising storing the monitoring result and the response.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein adapting the monitoring comprises transmitting adapted monitoring parameters to the remote monitoring device.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein transmitting the adapted monitoring parameters comprises transmitting adapted parameters for the identification of cardiac states to the remote monitoring device.

34. A method of conducting a clinical trial, comprising:

remotely prompting an individual to medicate in accordance with a regimen of the clinical trial; and

remotely monitoring a cardiac function of the individual during the medication over a remote electrocardiographic monitoring device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising receiving a response to the prompt indicating that the individual has indeed medicated in accordance with the clinical trial.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein prompting the individual to medicate comprising prompting the individual to take a specific pharmaceutical composition.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising determining the efficacy or safety of the prompted medication.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein remotely prompting the individual comprises remotely prompting the individual over the remote electrocardiographic monitoring device.

39. A method performed at a central monitoring system, the method comprising:

receiving from a remote sensing device information related to a medical condition of a monitored individual associated with the remote sensing device; and

based at least in part on the received information, transmitting, to the remote sensing device, information designed to instruct the monitored individual.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting instructions to undertake a predetermined action.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to take medicine.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to contact a doctor.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to sit down.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to reduce altitude.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to reduce an activity level.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to measure one of blood pressure or glucose.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to enter a response or other information for transmission back to the central monitoring system.

48. The method of claim 39, wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting information associated with the medical condition.

49. The method of claim 39, wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting information designed to confirm receipt of the received information.

50. The method of claim 39, wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting information associated with treatment of the medical condition.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein transmitting the information associated with treatment of the medical condition comprises transmitting an image of a medication to treat the medical condition.

52. The method of claim 39, wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting the information periodically.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein transmitting the information periodically comprises transmitting the information at periods that change between transmissions based on the received information.

54. The method of claim 39, wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting the information in response to an event identified in the received information.

55. A method performed by a medical condition sensing device associated with a monitored individual, the method comprising:

measuring a physiological condition of the monitored individual;

transmitting the measured physiological condition to a central monitoring system; and

receiving from the central monitoring system information designed to instruct the monitored individual, the received information being based at least in part on the measured physiological condition.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving instructions to undertake a predetermined action.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to take medicine.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to contact a doctor.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to sit down.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to reduce altitude.

61. The method of claim 56, wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to reduce an activity level.

62. The method of claim 56, wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to measure one of blood pressure or glucose.

63. The method of claim 56, wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to enter a response or other information for transmission back to the central monitoring system.

64. The method of claim 55, wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving information associated with the medical condition.

65. The method of claim 55, wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving information designed to confirm receipt of the received information.

66. The method of claim 55, wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving information associated with treatment of the medical condition.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein receiving the information associated with treatment of the medical condition comprises receiving an image of a medication to treat the medical condition.

68. The method of claim 55, wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving the information periodically.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein receiving the information periodically comprises receiving the information at periods that change between transmissions based at least in part on the transmitted physiological condition.

70. The method of claim 55, wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving the information in response to an event identified in the transmitted physiological condition.