Health monitoring system

• US 7,273,454 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brigham and Women's Hospital Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Brigham and Women's Hospital Incorporated
• Inventors: Singer, Daniel B., Raymond, Stephen A., Gordon, Geoffrey E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow; Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US10/693,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20040087839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/483, 600/513, 600/514, 600/529, 600/538, 600/540
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0257 using atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0295 adapted for recording user messages or annotations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/366 Detecting abnormal QRS complex, e.g. widening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4824 Touch or pain perception evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 : Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 : for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

A health monitoring system which tracks the state of health of a patient and compiles a chronological health history of the patient uses a multiparametric monitor which periodically and automatically measures and records a plurality of physiological data from sensors in contact with the patient'"'"'s body. The data collected is periodically uploaded to a database in which it is stored along with similar health histories for other patients. The monitor is preferably self-contained in a chest strap which is located on the patient'"'"'s torso, and makes use of a controller which controls sampling of the desired data and storage of the data to a local memory device pending uploading to the database. The data includes voice sound data indicative of voice sounds made by the subject over a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A portable personal subjective health tracker comprising:

a data logger configured to collect subjective data from a subject regarding the subject'"'"'s health;

a time base for tracking a time of recording of the data;

a data storage unit for storing the data with reference to the time base; and

a modem for sending data from the data logger to a central database, wherein the data logger is configured to directly connect to the modem and to initiate communication via the modem, and wherein the modem is capable of directly connecting to a communication network.

2. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises a telephone network.

3. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the modem and data logger are capable of sending data to the central database from one or more points of access to the communication network that are remote to the central database.

4. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the modem is capable of communicating with a local network access computer.

5. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the modem is an external modem.

6. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the subjective data comprises subjectively observed physiological data.

7. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the subjective data comprises psychological data.

8. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the subjective data comprises information regarding the subject'"'"'s amount of sleep.

9. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the subjective data comprises information regarding the subject'"'"'s mood.

10. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the subjective data comprises information regarding pain experienced by the subject.

11. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the subjective data comprises information regarding side effects experienced by the subject.

12. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the subjective data comprises information regarding medication taken by the subject.

13. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the subjective data comprises the subject'"'"'s handwriting.

14. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the health tracker further comprises a monitor for sensing a physiological parameter of the subject.

15. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger includes a stylus.

16. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger includes a touch screen.

17. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger accepts messages entered by the subject.

18. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger is capable of accepting messages entered by the subject by writing.

19. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 18, wherein the data logger includes a digitizer for generating a digitized representation of the writing.

20. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 19, wherein the data logger is capable of sending the digitized representation of the writing to the central database.

21. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger includes character recognition software.

22. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger is handheld.

23. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, further comprising a data receiver for receiving a message intended for the subject.

24. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1 further comprising a data receiver for receiving a message including a question intended for the subject.

25. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger is capable of providing at least one data prompt in a graphical format to the subject.

26. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger is capable of providing at least one data prompt comprising an image of the human body to the subject.

27. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger is capable of providing at least one data prompt comprising a signature space to the subject.

28. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the data logger is configured to periodically send the data to the central database.

29. A personal subjective health tracker according to claim 1, wherein the central database is capable of communicating with multiple physician offices.

30. A portable health data messaging apparatus comprising:

a heath data collection device configured to collect subjective data from a subject regarding the subject'"'"'s health;

a time base for tracking a time of recording of the data;

a data storage unit for storing the data with reference to the time base; and

a modem for sending health data messages to a central database and for receiving messages wherein the portable health data collection device is configured to directly connect to the modem and to initiate communication via the modem, and wherein the modem is capable of directly connecting to a communication network.

31. A health data messaging apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the collected data is for use by a reviewer.

32. A health data messaging apparatus according to claim 30 wherein data in the central database is accessible over a network.

33. A health data messaging apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the central database is configured to receive data from a plurality of health trackers.

34. A health data messaging apparatus according to claim 33 wherein the central database is configured to communicate the data obtained from the plurality of health trackers to a medical records database.

35. A health data messaging apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the central database comprises a plurality of databases.

36. A health data messaging apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the time base of the health tracker is configured to synchronize with a time base of the central database when communication is established between the data communication device and the central database.

37. A health data messaging apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the data storage unit and the central database are each configured to store the data.

38. A portable health data apparatus comprising:

a data logger configured to collect subjective data from a subject regarding the subject'"'"'s health;

a time base for tracking a time of recording of the data;

a data storage unit for storing the data with reference to the time base; and

a data communication subsystem for sending data from the data logger to a central database, wherein the data logger is configured to connect to the data communication subsystem and to establish communication with the central database via the data communication subsystem, and wherein the data communication subsystem is capable of directly sending data through a communication network.

39. A portable health data apparatus, comprising:

a data logger configured to collect subjective data from a subject regarding the subject'"'"'s health;

a time base for tracking a time of recording of the data;

a data storage unit for storing the data with reference to the time base; and

a data communication subsystem for uploading data from the data logger to a central database, wherein the data logger is configured to connect to the data communication subsystem and wherein the data communication subsystem is capable of directly sending data through a communication network.