Method and apparatus for monitoring a patient

• US 7,536,309 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2000
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: I-Flow Corporation (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Vasko, Robert S., Massengale, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frenel; Vanel
• Application Number:
  US09/626,358
• Time in Patent Office: 3,218 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 600/528, 600/300, 128920-925, 128/709, 340/286.07, 379/102, 379/88.16, 455/44.1, 455/404.2, 455/521
• US Class Current: 705/3
• 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 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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 remotely or locally programmable and accessible medical device system including an interface unit and a medical device connected to a patient is disclosed. Through a transceiver, such as a telephone or computer, a person may obtain status reports from a remotely located or local medical device in audible, electronic or paper form. In addition, the person may change a protocol associated with the medical device or be alerted at a remote or local location of an alarm associated with the medical device.

Claims

1. A remotely-accessible medical device system, comprising:

an electronically-controllable medical device connected to a patient, the medical device configured to operate in accordance with a programmable protocol and having patient data associated therewith, said medical device and said patient being located at a first location;

a memory configured to store the programmable protocol and patient data;

a processor configured to manipulate the programmable protocol and patient data;

a voice storage unit;

a first communication port; and

a second communication port;

wherein said memory, said processor, said voice storage unit, said first communication port and said second communication port are located at said first location, said first communication port being configured to permit said processor to be connected to a local telephone and said second communication port is configured to permit said processor to be connectable to a remote telephone, wherein when a connection is established between said processor and one of said local and remote telephones, said processor accesses said voice storage unit to send a voice signal emulating a sound of a human voice to said local or remote telephone, said voice signal including a number of voice queries comprising a main menu, said voice queries instructing a user of the system to select among said voice queries by pressing a key of a touchtone keypad of said local or remote telephone;

wherein programming of said system is accomplished by one of a local programming signal and a remote programming signal generated by a touchtone keypad of said local telephone and said remote telephone, respectively, and wherein said processor is configured to manipulate the programmable protocol in said memory in response to receiving one of said local programming signal and said remote programming signal and wherein data retrieval is accomplished by said processor being configured to send one of a local data signal and a remote data signal in response to one of a local data access signal generated by said touchtone keypad of said local telephone and a remote data access signal generated by said touchtone keypad of said remote telephone, respectively, said local data signal and said remote data signal being in the form of a voice signal from said voice storage unit.

2. The medical device system of claim 1, additionally comprising a link button coupled to said processor and operable for activating said communication port to allow communication with said particular telephone.

3. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein an alarm algorithm is stored in said memory and configured to detect an alarm condition of said patient data, said processor configured to initiate a connection with a predetermined remote telephone and send said patient data to said predetermined remote telephone upon said connection.

4. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein said manipulation of said programmable protocol and said review of said patient data may be accomplished using the 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, star and pound keys of said touchtone keypad.

5. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein said system initially provides a request in the form of a voice signal for said user to input an access code using said keypad of said local or remote telephone, wherein access to said system is blocked unless said access code input by said user matches a user access code stored in an access code memory of said medical device system.

6. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein said main menu comprises an edit mode which permits said user to edit said programmable protocol using one of said local or remote programming signals, wherein said system requires said user to enter a serial number of said medical device, a user identification number and a patient identification number using said keypad of said local or remote telephone prior to said editing of said programmable protocol, wherein said serial number, said user identification number and said patient identification number are stored in said memory.

7. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein said main menu comprises an alarm review mode which permits said user to review an alarm telephone or fax number in said memory to be dialed in the event of an alarm condition, delete said alarm telephone or fax number, and add a new alarm telephone or fax number using said keypad of said local or remote telephone.

8. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein said main menu comprises a phone mode, wherein when said phone mode is selected by a user using said keypad of said remote telephone, a connection is established between said local telephone and said remote telephone so that said user can talk to said patient.

9. The medical device system of claim 8, wherein said system automatically enters said phone mode if said user edits said programmable protocol.