Remote Communication System with Availability Indicator for an Implantable Medical Device

• US 20070250130A1
• Filed: 04/25/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ball, James, Ryan, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network

Abstract

A medical information communication system and corresponding methods are described. The system can permit monitoring the performance of an implantable medical device (IMD) implanted within a body of a patient, monitoring the health of the patient, and/or remotely delivering a therapy to the patient through the IMD. The IMD can be capable of bidirectional communication with a clinician. Further, the system can comprise a communication availability indicator to indicate whether the IMD is available for communication.

Claims

1. A system comprising, an implantable medical device able to communicate with a proximate monitor, the proximate monitor able to communicate with a patient management network accessible by a clinician, the system adapted to indicate to the clinician the availability of the medical device to communicate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device, the proximate monitor, and the patient management network include a coordinated operation to indicate to the clinician the availability of the medical device to communicate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximate monitor and the patient management network include a coordinated operation to indicate to the clinician the unavailability of the medical device to communicate.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system indicates the availability of the medical device to communicate via a web based interface in communication with the patient management network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the web based interface indicates availability status via colored dots.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the web based interface identifies a patient by name.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the web based interface identifies the medical device.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the web based interface indicates the last time the medical device communicated.

9. The system of claim 2, where the medical device indicates its availability to the proximate monitor by transmitting at least one of device model number, serial number, hardware, firmware, or software identification, patient name, patient contact information, clinician name, clinician entity and combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device comprises one or more of a pacemaker, a PCD pacemaker/cardioverter/defibrillator, an oxygen sensing device, a nerve stimulator, a muscle stimulator, a drug pump, or an implantable monitoring device.

11. A system comprising, an implantable medical device in communication with a proximate monitor, the proximate monitor in communication with a patient management network, and a web based interface in communication with the patient management network, the web based interface indicating the availability of the medical device to communicate in real time.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the medical device continuously transmits its availability to the proximate monitor during operation of the medical device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the web based interface is adapted to identify one or more of a patient'"'"'s name or patient identification number.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the web based interface identifies the medical device and indicates the last time the medical device communicated.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the medical device comprises one or more of a pacemaker, a PCD pacemaker/cardioverter/defibrillator, an oxygen sensing device, a nerve stimulator, a muscle stimulator, a drug pump, or an implantable monitoring device.

16. A system comprising, an implantable medical device, a proximate monitor, a patient management network, and a web based interface, during operation of the system, the implantable medical device communicating with the proximate monitor when in range of the proximate monitor, the proximate monitor in communication with the patient management network, the web based interface communicating with the patient management network to indicate to a user whether the implantable medical device is in the range of the proximate monitor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the implantable medical device continuously transmits its availability to the proximate monitor during operation of the implantable medical device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the web based interface indicates whether the implantable medical device is able to communicate with the proximate monitor.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the web based interface indicates the unavailability of the implantable medical device to communicate with the proximate monitor.

20. The system of claim 16, where the medical device indicates its availability to the proximate monitor by transmitting at least one of device model number, serial number, hardware, firmware, or software identification, patient name, patient contact information, clinician name, clinician entity and combinations thereof.