Apparatus and method for monitoring and communicating wellness parameters of ambulatory patients

• US 6,290,646 B1
• Filed: 04/16/1999
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiocom LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cardiocom LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Cosentino, Louis C., Nubson, Richard C., Cosentino, Judith A., Dorfe, Steven George, Duea, Duane Robert, Duea, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/293,619
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300-301, 600/481-486, 600/500-508, 600/529-538, 600/544-545, 600/554, 128/900-905, 128/920-925, 705/2-3
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

The monitoring device incorporates transducing devices for converting the desired measured parameters into electrical signals capable of being processed by a local computer or microprocessor system. The device interacts with the ambulatory patient and then, via a modem or other electronic communication device, transmits the measured parameters to a computer located at a remote site. At the remote location, the various indicia of the ambulatory patient'"'"'s condition are monitored and analyzed by the medical professional caregiver. To provide the ambulatory patient with an added level of convenience and ease of use, such monitoring device is contained in a single integrated package.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a ambulatory patient and establishing communication to a caregiver regarding the wellness parameters of such an ambulatory patient between a first location and a remote central office location, said system comprising:

a monitoring apparatus at said first location comprising;

(a) a physiological parameter transducing device, said device generating an electronic signal representative of the value of the physiological parameter being monitored;

(b) a central processor device, said central processor operatively coupled to said parameter transducing device and processing said physiological parameter electronic signals;

(c) an electronic recciver/transmitter communication device, said communication device having one end operatively coupled to said processor and another end operatively coupled to a communication network;

(d) an output device operatively coupled to said processor and providing a series of queries to the ambulatory patient, each query of the series of queries is representative of symptoms the ambulatory patient may be experiencing;

(e) an input device operatively coupled to said processor and configured to receive inputs from the ambulatory patient in response to the series of queries,

a processing computer at a remote central office location in communication with said remote monitoring apparatus for exchanging information with said monitoring apparatus wherein the processor receives the electronic signal generated by the transducing device and inputs from the input device wherein each input is assigned a score representing the severity of the symptom and the processing computer tallies the score from each input and, if the tallied score exceeds a predetermined value, an exception is issued notifying a remote healthcare professional that the ambulatory patient requires immediate attention.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said integrated unit comprises:

a base, said base including said physiological parameter transducing device;

a housing, said housing including said central processor device, said electronic receiver/transmitter communication device, said input device and said output device; and

a support member, said support member having a first end connected to said base and a second end connected to said housing.

3. The system according to claim 1 further comprising means for determining whether said patient requires hospitalization or medication adjustments based on said wellness parameters.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication device is a modem.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication is over an RS-232 connection.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication device is over an Internet communication device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication device is an infra-red communication device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication device is a power-line carrier communication device.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication device is a satellite communication device.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication device is a Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said RF transceiver has first and second portions, said first portion being operatively coupled to said processor and in radio communication with said second portion, said second portion being located remotely from said first portion and is operatively coupled to said communication network.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said second portion includes means for wall mounting said second portion.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein a nurse is in communication with said patient through said communication network.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein said output device is a synthetic speech communication device, said speech communication device operatively coupled to said processor and audibly communicating information to said patient.

15. The system according to claim 1 wherein said output device is a visual display device.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said output device is a pacemaker coupled to said data input device.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein said physiological parameter transducing device is a pacemaker adapted to provide an electronic signal representative of the physiological parameter being monitored by said pacemaker.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said pacemaker is adapted to be coupled to a pacemaker data input device.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein said output device is a pacemaker data input device.

26. The method according to claim 13 wherein said presenting step includes visually displaying the series of queries.

27. The method according to claim 13 further comprising a step of inputting data into a pacemaker device.

20. A method for monitoring an ambulatory patient and establishing communication to a caregiver regarding the wellness parameters of such an ambulatory patient, said method comprising:

monitoring a physiological parameter;

generating an electronic signal representative of the value of said physiological parameter;

in a central processor device, processing said physiological parameter electronic signals;

communicating said processed electronic signals between a first location and remote central location;

presenting a series of queries to an ambulatory patient wherein each query is representative of symptoms the ambulatory patient may be experiencing;

inputting responses from an ambulatory patient in response to the series of queries wherein each response is assigned a score into said processor; and

tallying the score from each query by a remote processing computer and, if the tallied score exceeds a predetermined value, generating an exception.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring the body weight of a chronic heart failure patient.

22. The method according to claim 21 further comprising determining whether said patient requires hospitalization or medication adjustments based on said body weight.

23. The method according to claim 20 further comprising determining whether said patient requires hospitalization or medication adjustments based on said wellness parameters.

24. The method according to claim 20 wherein the communicating step includes communicating to a nurse.

25. The method according to claim 20 wherein said presenting step includes audibly communicating to said patient through a synthetic speech communication device.

28. A method according to claim 20, wherein said generating step includes generating an electronic signal representative of said physiological parameter using a pacemaker.

29. A method according to claim 20, wherein said inputting step includes inputting pacemaker instructions into a pacemaker input device.