Network media access control system for encouraging patient compliance with a treatment plan

• US 7,590,549 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): RANGREJ, SHEETAL
• Application Number:
  US11/525,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0871 Peak expiratory flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system and method for controlling patient access to an entertainment program to encourage a patient to comply with a treatment plan. The method includes the step of collecting compliance data from the patient. In one embodiment, the compliance data includes measurements of a physiological condition of the patient as well as patient answers to compliance questions. The method further includes the step of comparing the compliance data to evaluation criteria selected by a healthcare provider to determine if the patient is in compliance with the treatment plan. If the patient is in compliance, access is granted to the entertainment program. If the patient is not in compliance, access to the entertainment program is restricted. In the preferred embodiment, the method includes the additional steps of transmitting and displaying the patient'"'"'s compliance data and compliance status to the healthcare provider.

Claims

1. A system for interactively communicating with an individual, comprising:

a server;

a microprocessor based unit remotely located from said server and in communication with said server;

said microprocessor based unit being suitable for receipt of a first information from said server, said first information including health related information;

an input device in communication with said microprocessor based unit;

said input device being suitable for receiving a response from a user of said input device to said first information and communicating said response to said microprocessor based unit; and

a display unit coupled to said microprocessor based unit, wherein said display unit displays said first information to said user, wherein said microprocessor based unit evaluates said response from said user and provides a second information to said user for display on said display unit, wherein said second information includes a treatment plan specification based upon said health related information and said response of said user, wherein said microprocessor based unit restricts user access to an entertainment program when the microprocessor based unit determines via the evaluation that the user response is non-compliant with said first information.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a computer remotely located from said server in communication with said server.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said computer communicates said first information to said server.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said server is provided said first information for communication to said microprocessor based unit.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first information is a set of questions.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first information is a set of instructions.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said server is a web server.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input device is a remote control.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display unit is a television.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor based unit, said display unit and said input device are integrated within a single housing.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor based unit communicates with said server through a headend.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a monitoring device in communication with said server.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said monitoring device measures a health condition of said user.

14. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said monitoring device measures vital signs of said user.

15. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said server through a radio frequency link.

16. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said server through a modem.

17. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said server through a telephone line.

18. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a monitoring device in communication with said microprocessor based unit.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said monitoring device measures a health condition of said user.

20. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said monitoring device measures vital signs of said user.

21. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said microprocessor based unit through a radio frequency link.

22. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said microprocessor based unit through a modem.

23. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said microprocessor based unit through a telephone line.

24. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor based unit includes a web browser and a modem.

25. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor based unit and said server communicate across internet.

26. A method, executable by a microprocessor based unit, for interactively communicating with an individual, comprising:

receiving a first information from a remotely-located server, said first information including a first treatment plan specification and compliance questions;

based upon the received first information, generating a compliance questionnaire via a text generator of the microprocessor based unit;

transferring said compliance questionnaire to a display unit for display of said compliance questionnaire to a user;

receiving a response from said user regarding said compliance questionnaire through an input device;

comparing the response to criteria specified in the first treatment plan specification;

determining if the first treatment plan specification specifies device monitoring for the patient;

when the first treatment plan specification specifies device monitoring for the patient, said method includes;

generating a prompt message via the text generator of the microprocessor based unit;

transferring said prompt message to the display unit for display of said prompt message to the user, said prompt message for prompting the patient to upload device measurements to the microprocessor based unit;

receiving said device measurements;

comparing the received device measurements to criteria specified in the first treatment plan specification;

determining a compliance status of the user relative to the first treatment plan specification based on the comparison of the response and the device measurements to the criteria of the first treatment plan specification;

when the first treatment plan specification does not specify device monitoring for the patient, said method includes;

determining a compliance status of the user relative to the first treatment plan specification based on the comparison of the response to the criteria of the first treatment plan specification;

when the compliance status is determined by the microprocessor based unit as being non-compliant, said method includes;

restricting user access to a television program;

generating a second information; and

transferring said second information to said display unit for display of said second information to said user, wherein said second information includes a second treatment plan specification based upon said response of said user; and

when the compliance status is determined by the microprocessor based unit as being compliant, said method includes;

granting user access to the television program.

27. A system for interactively communicating with an individual, comprising:

a server;

a set-top box microprocessor based unit remotely located from said server and in communication with said server;

said set-top box microprocessor based unit being suitable for receipt of a first information from said server, said first information including health related information;

a remote control device in communication with said set-top box microprocessor based unit;

said remote control device being suitable for receiving a response from a user of said remote control device to said first information and communicating said response to said set-top box microprocessor based unit; and

a television coupled to said set-top box microprocessor based unit, wherein said television displays said first information to said user, wherein said set-top box microprocessor based unit evaluates said response from said user and provides a second information to said user for display on said television, wherein said second information includes a treatment plan specification based upon said health related information and said response of said user, wherein, when said microprocessor based unit determines via the evaluation that the user response is non-compliant with said first information, said microprocessor based unit restricts user access to a television program via the television by positioning a switch of the microprocessor based unit to connect a text generator to the television.

28. The system as claimed in claim 27, further comprising a computer remotely located from said server in communication with said server.

29. The system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said computer communicates said first information to said server.

30. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said server is provided said first information for communication to said set-top box microprocessor based unit.

31. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said first information is a set of questions.

32. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said first information is a set of instructions.

33. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said server is a web server.

34. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said set-top box microprocessor based unit and said television are integrated within a single housing.

35. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said set-top box microprocessor based unit communicates with said server through a headend.

36. The system as claimed in claim 27, further comprising a monitoring device in communication with said server.

37. The system as claimed in claim 36, wherein said monitoring device measures a health condition of said user.

38. The system as claimed in claim 36, wherein said monitoring device measures vital signs of said user.

39. The system as claimed in claim 36, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said server through a radio frequency link.

40. The system as claimed in claim 36, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said server through a modem.

41. The system as claimed in claim 36, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said server through a telephone line.

42. The system as claimed in claim 27, further comprising a monitoring device in communication with said set-top box microprocessor based unit.

43. The system as claimed in claim 42, wherein said monitoring device measures a health condition of said user.

44. The system as claimed in claim 42, wherein said monitoring device measures vital signs of said user.

45. The system as claimed in claim 42, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said set-top box microprocessor based unit through a radio frequency link.

46. The system as claimed in claim 42, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said set-top box microprocessor based unit through a modem.

47. The system as claimed in claim 42, wherein said monitoring device communicates with said set-top box microprocessor based unit through a telephone line.

48. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said set-top box microprocessor based unit includes a web browser and a modem.

49. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said set-top box microprocessor based unit and said server communicate across internet.