Adaptive selection of a warning limit in patient monitoring

• US 6,569,095 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Braemar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cardionet Incorporated
• Inventors: Eggers, Philip N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuen, Henry C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US09/841,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20020156352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/481, 600/529, 600/508, 600/545, 128/903, 128/904
• 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 5/02455 provided with high/low alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

A patient is monitored by establishing a current warning limit for a physiological characteristic of the patient, providing a sensor for the physiological characteristic, and measuring a measured value of the physiological characteristic of the patient using the sensor. A revised warning limit is selected responsive to at least one of the steps of providing and measuring. The revised warning limit is then typically substituted for the current warning limit. The current warning limit serves to trigger some action in the event that the measured value of the physiological characteristic is not within an acceptable range defined by the current warning limit.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a patient, comprising the steps

establishing a current warning limit for a physiological characteristic of the patient;

providing a sensor for the physiological characteristic;

measuring a measured value of the physiological characteristic of the patient using the sensor;

comparing the measured value and the current warning limit, and generating a warning signal responsive to the step of comparing; and

selecting a revised warning limit responsive to at least one of the steps of providing and measuring.

2. The method of claim 1, including an additional step, after the step of selecting, of

a human being reviewing the revised warning limit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing includes the steps of

obtaining the sensor, and

determining the operating characteristics of the sensor, and wherein the step of selecting is responsive to the step of determining the operating characteristics of the sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting is responsive to the step of measuring.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of measuring is performed as a function of time, and wherein the step of selecting is responsive to a value of time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting is additionally responsive to a second physiological characteristic.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting is additionally responsive to a patient history.

8. The method of claim 1, including an additional step of providing a monitoring apparatus including

a remote monitoring unit associated with the patient,

a central unit, and

a communications device which selectively establishes a communications link between the remote monitoring unit and the central unit responsive to a warning signal, and wherein the step of selecting is performed at least in part by the central unit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the physiological characteristic is a characteristic of the heart.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting is performed without human intervention.

11. A method of monitoring a patient, comprising the steps of providing a monitoring apparatus including

a remote monitoring unit associated with the patient,

a central unit, and

a communications device which selectively establishes a communications link between the remote monitoring unit and the central unit responsive to a warning signal;

establishing a current warning limit for a physiological characteristic of the patient;

providing a sensor for the physiological characteristic as a part of the remote monitoring unit;

measuring a measured value of the physiological characteristic of the patient using the sensor;

comparing the measured value and the current warning limit;

generating a warning signal responsive to the step of comparing;

selecting a revised warning limit responsive to at least one of the steps of providing a sensor, comparing, and measuring, and substituting the revised warning limit for the current warning limit, the step of selecting being performed at least in part by the central unit; and

repeating the steps of providing a sensor, measuring, and comparing.

12. The method of claim 11, including an additional step, after the step of selecting, of

a human being reviewing the revised warning limit.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of providing includes the steps of

obtaining the sensor, and

determining the operating characteristics of the sensor, and wherein the step of selecting is responsive to the step of determining the operating characteristics of the sensor.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of selecting is responsive to the step of measuring.

15. The method of claim 11, including an additional step, after the steps of providing and measuring, of

comparing the measured value and the current warning limit, and

generating a warning signal responsive to the step of comparing.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of selecting is performed without human intervention.

17. A method of monitoring a patient, comprising the steps of establishing a current warning limit for a physiological characteristic of the patient;

providing a sensor for the physiological characteristic;

evaluating the characteristics of the sensor as a function of time;

measuring a measured value of the physiological characteristic of the patient as a function of time using the sensor;

comparing the measured value and the current warning limit generating a warning signal responsive to the step of comparing; and

selecting a revised value of the warning limit responsive to at least one of the steps of providing and measuring.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of selecting is performed without human intervention.