Method and system for monitoring the heart of a patient

• US 5,522,396 A
• Filed: 07/29/1993
• Issued: 06/04/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Criticare Systems, Inc. (Opto Circuits (India) Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Telecom Corporation
• Inventors: Langer, Alois A., Maalouf, Khalil J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/101,199
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 128/903, 128/904, 128/702, 128/706, 128/695, 128/696, 128/630, 364/413.06, 364/413.01, 364/413.04
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a system for monitoring the health condition of a patient, such as the condition of the patient'"'"'s heart. The system comprises a patient station having means for monitoring a predetermined bodily function of the patient and a patient transmitter for transmitting information relating to the bodily function. The system is also comprised of a secondary system remote from the patient at the patient station having means for activating the patient station such that information relating to the monitored bodily function can be transmitted from the patient station to the secondary station. The secondary station is in communication with the patient station. The present invention also pertains to a method of monitoring the health condition of a patient. The method comprises the steps of providing the patient with a device for monitoring a predetermined bodily function of the patient at a patient station. Then there is the step of activating the patient station from the secondary station remote from the patient at the patient station such that information relating to the predetermined bodily function of the patient can be transmitted to the secondary station.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring health conditions of a patient comprising:

a patient station having means for generating an electrocardiogram of the patient and a patient transmitter for transmitting information relating to the electrocardiogram, including means for automatically transmitting the information when a predetermined event occurs, said patient transmitter having a first telecommunication line, said patient station has means for disconnecting a secondary station from the patient station when a predetermined cardiological event occurs such that the patient station can transmit electrocardiogram information to the central station over the first telecommunications line;

means for storing electrocardiogram information, said storing means in communication with the generating means, said storing means comprising a first storage device for storing predetermined cardiological events and a second storage device for storing the electrocardiogram generated by the generating means and means for detecting predetermined cardiological events of the patient, said detecting means in communication with the generating means;

a secondary station remote from the patient at the patient station having a modem for creating a communication channel between the patient station and the secondary station such that information relating to the monitored electrocardiogram can be transmitted from the patient station to the secondary station, said secondary station in communication with the patient station, said secondary station in communication with said first telecommunication line said patient station has means for disconnecting the secondary station from the patient station when a predetermined cardiological event occurs such that the patient station can transmit electrocardiogram information to the central station over the first telecommunication line;

a database in communication with the secondary station which provides data about the patient which supplements the information to the secondary station when the information is transmitted from the patient;

a central station in communication with the patient transmitter for automatically receiving the electrocardiogram transmitted by the patient transmitter when a predetermined cardiological event has occurred;

a database in communication with the central station for storing and providing patient data to the central station when a predetermined cardiological event occurs; and

display means in communication with the central station and the database for displaying the patient data and the transmitted electrocardiogram.

2. A method of monitoring health conditions of a patient comprising the steps of:

providing the patient with a device for monitoring a predetermined bodily function of the patient at a patient station;

transmitting from a transmitter of the device information about the predetermined bodily function monitored by the device when a predetermined event occurs;

activating the patient station from a secondary station remote from the patient at the patient station by dialing a phone number of the patient station to create a communication channel between the patient station and the secondary station such that information relating to the predetermined bodily function of the patient can be transmitted to the secondary station by the device at the patient station; and

providing data about the patient which supplements the information when the information is transmitted.

3. A method as described in claim 2 wherein the providing step includes the step of providing the patient with a device for generating an electrocardiogram of the patient.

4. A method as described in claim 3 wherein after the providing step, there is the step of taking an electrocardiogram of the patient at the patient station.

5. A method as described in claim 4 wherein after the taking an electrocardiogram step, there is the step of storing information relating to the electrocardiogram and the activating step includes the step of retrieving stored electrocardiogram information.

6. A method as described in claim 5 wherein after the taking step, there are the steps of:

automatically detecting predetermined cardiological events in the electrocardiogram;

automatically transmitting the electrocardiogram to a central station remote from the patient at the patient station along with identification of the patient if a predetermined cardiological event has occurred;

automatically retrieving data about the patient having a predetermined cardiological event from a database in communication with the central station; and

automatically transmitting the data to the central station from the database.

7. A method as described in claim 6 wherein after the transmitting step, there is the step of displaying the electrocardiogram and the corresponding patient data at the central station.

8. A method as described in claim 7 wherein before the taking step, there is the step of programming the patient station with patient identification and a phone number of the central station.

9. A method as described in claim 8 wherein the automatic detecting step includes the step of notifying the patient at the patient station.

10. A method as described in claim 8 wherein after the retrieving step, there is the step of contacting the patient at the patient station.

11. A system for monitoring health conditions of a patient comprising:

a patient station having means for generating an electrocardiogram of the patient and a patient transmitter for transmitting information relating to the electrocardiogram, including means for automatically transmitting the information when a predetermined event occurs, said patient transmitter includes a first telecommunication line and a second telecommunication line;

means for storing electrocardiogram information, said storing means in communication with the generating means, said storing means comprising a first storage device for storing predetermined cardiological events and a second storage device for storing the electrocardiogram generated by the generating means and means for detecting predetermined cardiological events of the patient, said detecting means in communication with the generating means;

a secondary station remote from the patient at the patient station having a modem for creating a communication channel between the patient station and the secondary station such that information relating to the monitored electrocardiogram can be transmitted from the patient station to the secondary station, said secondary station in communication with the patient station, said secondary station in communication with the first telecommunication line;

a database in communication with the secondary station which provides data about the patient which supplements the information to the secondary station when the information is transmitted from the patient;

a central station in communication with the patient transmitter for automatically receiving the electrocardiogram transmitted by the patient transmitter when a predetermined cardiological event has occurred, said central station in communication with the second telecommunication line;

a database in communication with the central station for storing and providing patient data to the central station when a predetermined cardiological event occurs; and

display means in communication with the central station and the database for displaying the patient data and the transmitted electrocardiogram.

12. A system for monitoring health conditions of a patient comprising:

a patient station having means for generating an electrocardiogram of the patient and a patient transmitter for transmitting information relating to the electrocardiogram, including means for automatically transmitting the information when a predetermined event occurs;

means for storing electrocardiogram information, said storing means in communication with the generating means, said storing means comprising a first storage device for storing predetermined cardiological events and a second storage device for storing the electrocardiogram generated by the generating means and means for detecting predetermined cardiological events of the patient, said detecting means in communication with the generating means;

a secondary station remote from the patient at the patient station having a modem for creating a communication channel between the patient station and the secondary station such that information relating to the monitored electrocardiogram can be transmitted from the patient station to the secondary station, said secondary station in communication with the patient station;

a database in communication with the secondary station which provides data about the patient which supplements the information to the secondary station when the information is transmitted from the patient;

a central station in communication with the patient transmitter for automatically receiving the electrocardiogram transmitted by the patient transmitter when a predetermined cardiological event has occurred, said secondary station communicates with the transmitter of the patient station through the central station;

a database in communication with the central station for storing and providing patient data to the central station when a predetermined cardiological event occurs; and

display means in communication with the central station and the database for displaying the patient data and the transmitted electrocardiogram.

13. A system as described in claim 12 wherein the central station includes a central transmitter for transmitting information to the patient station and the patient station includes a remote receiver for receiving information from the central station.

14. A system as described in claim 13 wherein the detecting means of the patient station includes a first computer having a program which analyzes the electrocardiogram and causes the electrocardiogram to be transmitted to the central station when a predetermined cardiological event occurs.

15. A system as described in claim 14 wherein the central station includes a second computer, and the display means includes a display screen electrically connected to the second computer.