Batch processing method for patient management

• US 20060020491A1
• Filed: 09/21/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Mongeon, Luc R., Jackson, Marta E., Boulay, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US10/946,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020491A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method for managing data from remotely located patients features batch processing. Patient files are batched in groups to increase workflow efficiency of a caregiver clinic. Scheduling of remote data transmission; accessing, reviewing and evaluating the data; and billing are carried out using a batch processing approach.

Claims

1. A method for managing data from remotely located patients, the method comprising:

receiving the data from a group of patients during a time period;

reviewing the data;

creating a batch of patient reports prioritized for amount of evaluation and response required based on the data received; and

evaluating the data based on the batch of patient reports.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

providing a prompt to the group of patients to transmit data within the specified time period.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein providing a prompt is performed prior to the time period.

4. The method of claim 2 and further comprising:

providing a further prompt of to patients of the group that have not transmitted data after the time period has ended.

5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

communicating with the patients of the group based on results of the evaluating.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein communicating further comprises:

reporting results of the evaluating; and

scheduling appropriate follow-up.

7. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

processing the batch of patient reports for billing.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a number of patients in the group is based on time allotted for review and evaluation.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein creating a batch of patient reports further comprises:

creating brief reports for patients that have no clinical or device issues based on the data received; and

creating full reports containing relevant information for patients that have clinical or device issues based on the data received.

10. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

sorting patient reports based on the amount of evaluation and response required.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein reviewing, creating, and evaluating occurs within about a 24-hour period.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is obtained from an implantable medical device.

13. A method of managing data from remotely located patients having implantable medical devices, the method comprising:

receiving, during a time period, implantable medical device data from a group of patients;

reviewing the data received as a batch;

creating patient reports that prioritize the patients for amount of evaluation and response required based on the data received; and

evaluating the data as a batch based on the patient reports.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the data includes stored episodes.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the data includes device issues.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the implantable medical devices are interrogated by an external monitor.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the data is received from an external monitor.

18. The method of claim 13 and further comprising:

providing a prompt to the patients of the group to transmit the data during the time period.

19. The method of claim 13 and further comprising:

communicating results of the evaluations and follow-up information with the patients.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the group of patients is formed by randomly clustering patients.

21. The method of claim 13 and further comprising:

processing the patient reports for billing as a batch.

22. A method of managing medical data from remotely located patients, the method comprising:

selecting a group of patients for gathering and evaluation of device data from implantable medical devices;

receiving the device data transmitted by patients of the group;

storing the device data received from patients of the group in a network server;

creating a batch of reports for the patients of the group based on the device data stored in the network server; and

communicating with the patients of the group based upon the evaluating.

23. The method of claim 22 and further comprising:

scheduling a time period during which patients of the group transmit device data from their implantable medical devices.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the patient reports are prioritized for amount of evaluation and response required.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein patients in the group are randomly selected.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the time period scheduled for transmitting device data is between about 24 hours and about 48 hours prior to evaluation.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the patient reports are sorted based on priority.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein communicating further comprises:

reporting results of the evaluating; and

scheduling appropriate follow-up.

29. The method of claim 22 and further comprising:

billing, as a batch, for services provided to the group of patients.

30. A method of managing medical data from remotely located patients having implantable medical devices, the method comprising:

scheduling a batch of patients for gathering and evaluation of device data from their implantable medical devices;

receiving a batch of the device data from the batch of patients;

storing the batch of device data in a network server;

accessing the batch of device data stored in the network server;

reviewing the batch of device data to prioritize patients based on amount of evaluating required;

evaluating the device data;

communicating results of evaluating to patients within the batch; and

billing, as a batch, for services provided to the batch of patients.

31. The method of claim 30 and further comprising:

generating a signal that is sensed by the implantable medical devices, the signal initiating transmission of the device data from the implantable medical devices.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the patients within the batch initiate transmission of the device data from their implantable medical devices.

33. The method of claim 30 and further comprising:

creating patient reports based on reviewing the device data, the patient reports being utilized for evaluating the device data.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein communicating further comprises:

scheduling appropriate follow-up.

35. A method of interacting with patients having implantable medical devices, the method comprising:

scheduling a time period during which patients of a group are to transmit device data collected from their implantable medical devices;

receiving the device data transmitted by patients of the group;

storing the device data received from the patients of the group;

reviewing stored device data from the group as a batch;

creating patient reports containing device data based upon the reviewing;

reviewing the patient reports as a batch; and

communicating with the patients of the group based on reviewing the patient reports.

36. The method of claim 35 and further comprising:

transmitting a signal to the implantable medical device, which initiates transmission of device data from the implantable medical device.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the patients of the group initiate transmission of the signal.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein an outside source initiates transmission of the signal.