SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING AND TRANSMITTAL OF MEDICAL DATA THROUGH AN INTERMEDIARY DEVICE

• US 20080097908A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medapps Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medapps Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dicks, Kent, Bartlett, Terry, Tripp, Robert, Kent, Ralph, Crosley, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• 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

A method according to an aspect of the present invention includes receiving data through a wired connection from a medical device, transmitting the data to an intermediary device, and formatting a message including the received data for transmission to a medical data server. The intermediary device includes a software program configured to receive the data and process it into a format compatible with the medical data server. This method can be practiced automatically to allow a medical device for a patient or other subject to be monitored without requiring the patient to manually enter information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving data from a medical device through a wired connection;

transmitting the data to an intermediary device; and

formatting a message for transmission to a medical data server, wherein the message includes the received data, and wherein the intermediary device includes a software program configured to;

receive the data; and

process the data into a format compatible with the medical data server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is transmitted to the intermediary device using a wireless transmitter, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits the data to the intermediary device using a protocol selected from the group consisting of a Zigbee protocol, a Wibree protocol, an IEEE 802.11 protocol, an IEEE 802.15 protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) protocol, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes respective information regarding a plurality of patients associated with the medical device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the respective information regarding the plurality of patients associated with the medical device includes a patient identifier for each of the respective plurality of patients.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes an environmental parameter, wherein the environmental parameter includes at least one of a battery charge level, a temperature, a barometric pressure, a code relating to an accessory for the medical device, a data validity measurement, an elapsed time since a previous reading by the medical device, a test result parameter, a signal-to-noise parameter, and a quality of service (QoS) parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received from the medical device through a connection selected from the group consisting of an optical fiber connection, a tip and sleeve (TS) connection, a tip, ring, and sleeve (TRS) connection, a tip, ring, ring, and sleeve (TRRS) connection, a serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) connection, a universal serial bus (USB) connection, an RS-232 serial connection, an Ethernet connection, a FireWire connection, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of:

a blood glucose meter;

a pacemaker;

a blood pressure monitor;

an insulin pump;

a pulse oximeter;

a holter monitor;

an electrocardiograph;

an electroencephalograph;

a blood alcohol monitor;

an alcohol breathalyzer;

an alcohol ignition interlock;

a respiration monitor;

an accelerometer;

a skin galvanometer;

a thermometer;

a patient geolocation device;

a scale;

an intravenous flow regulator;

a patient height measuring device;

a biochip assay device;

a monitor for biological agents;

a hazardous chemical agent monitor;

an ionizing radiation sensor;

a sphygmomanometer;

a loop recorder;

a spirometer;

an event monitor;

a prothrombin time (PT) meter;

an international normalized ratio (INR) meter;

a tremor sensor;

a defibrillator; and

combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting at least one of:

the received data;

a portion of the received data; and

a digest of the received data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein encrypting utilizes a key selected from the group consisting of:

a private encryption key associated with the patient;

a private encryption key of a health care provider associated with the patient;

a public encryption key associated with the medical data server; and

combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the intermediary device, wherein authenticating the intermediary device is performed using at least one of an authorization code and a password received from the intermediary device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the formatted message from the intermediary device to a medical data server, wherein the formatted message is transmitted from the intermediary device to a medical data server through a wireless network selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular network;

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network;

a wireless Local Area Network (WLAN);

a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network;

a Personal Communication Service (PCS) network;

an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) network;

a satellite communication network; and

combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the data from the intermediary device to the medical data server includes selecting a transmission method from a plurality of transmission methods based at least partially on a cost associated with the transmission method.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein formatting the message includes processing the data into one or more formats, the one or more formats including at least one of an XML record, an SMS text message, an email, and a facsimile.

14. A method comprising:

receiving data from a medical device through a wired connection;

transmitting the data to an intermediary device;

formatting a message for transmission to a medical data server, wherein the message includes the received data; and

transmitting the formatted message from the intermediary device to the medical data server.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data is transmitted to the intermediary device using a wireless transmitter, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits the data to the intermediary device using a protocol selected from the group consisting of a Zigbee protocol, a Wibree protocol, an IEEE 802.11 protocol, an IEEE 802.15 protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) protocol, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the data includes respective information regarding a plurality of patients associated with the medical device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the respective information regarding the plurality of patients associated with the medical device includes a patient identifier for each of the respective plurality of patients.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the data includes an environmental parameter, wherein the environmental parameter includes at least one of a battery charge level, a temperature, a barometric pressure, a code relating to an accessory for the medical device, a data validity measurement, an elapsed time since a previous reading by the medical device, a test result parameter, a signal-to-noise parameter, and a quality of service (QoS) parameter.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the data is received from the medical device through a connection selected from the group consisting of an optical fiber connection, a tip and sleeve (TS) connection, a tip, ring, and sleeve (TRS) connection, a tip, ring, ring, and sleeve (TRRS) connection, a serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) connection, a universal serial bus (USB) connection, an RS-232 serial connection, an Ethernet connection, a FireWire connection, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of:

a blood glucose meter;

a pacemaker;

a blood pressure monitor;

an insulin pump;

a pulse oximeter;

a holter monitor;

an electrocardiograph;

an electroencephalograph;

a blood alcohol monitor;

an alcohol breathalyzer;

an alcohol ignition interlock;

a respiration monitor;

an accelerometer;

a skin galvanometer;

a thermometer;

a patient geolocation device;

a scale;

an intravenous flow regulator;

a patient height measuring device;

a biochip assay device;

a monitor for biological agents;

a hazardous chemical agent monitor;

an ionizing radiation sensor;

a sphygmomanometer;

a loop recorder;

a spirometer;

an event monitor;

a prothrombin time (PT) meter;

an international normalized ratio (INR) meter;

a tremor sensor;

a defibrillator; and

combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising encrypting at least one of:

the received data;

a portion of the received data; and

a digest of the received data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein encrypting utilizes a key selected from the group consisting of:

a private encryption key associated with the patient;

a private encryption key of a health care provider associated with the patient;

a public encryption key associated with the medical data server; and

combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the formatted message is transmitted from the intermediary device to a medical data server through a wireless network selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular network;

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network;

a wireless Local Area Network (WLAN);

a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network;

a Personal Communication Service (PCS) network;

an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) network;

a satellite communication network; and

combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein formatting the message includes processing the data into one or more formats, the one or more formats including at least one of an XML record, an SMS text message, an email, and a facsimile.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein transmitting the data from the intermediary device to the medical data server includes selecting a transmission method from a plurality of transmission methods based at least partially on a cost associated with the transmission method.