Frequency agile telemetry system for implantable medical device

• US 8,175,715 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cox, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US11/613,311
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 607/59, 607/60, 607/9, 607/30, 607/32
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A system enables high-frequency communication between an external communication device and one or more implantable medical devices. The system implements a communication protocol in which the external communication device interrogates any implantable medical devices within range to establish one-to-one communication links for purposes of exchanging data and/or programming the medical devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving data from an implantable medical device at a data integrator configured to accumulate the data;

storing the data in a central repository communicatively connected to the data integrator;

evaluating the data for accuracy and completeness at a processing system commutatively connected to the central repository;

processing the data according to a knowledge worker specific application that is specifically tailored to place the data into condition for a first knowledge worker;

transmitting at least a portion of the data from the central repository to a distribution/presentation system configured to serve the data according to protocols and formats of a computer system at a first location associated with a first knowledge worker;

transmitting the data from the distribution/presentation system to the first location according to the protocols and formats of the computer system at the first location;

further processing the data at the first location by the computer system, the further processing specific to a use of the data by the first knowledge worker;

generating at the first location additional data that is useful to at least one of a patient associated with the implantable medical device or a second knowledge worker; and

transmitting the additional data from the first location to a second location associated with the second knowledge worker.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising generating a notification to the patient associated with the implantable medical device in response to the processing of the data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating the notification is performed by the second knowledge worker.

4. The method of claim 1, and further comprising generating a notification from the first location to the second location in response to the processing of the data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the processed data comprises transmitting the processed data directly from the first location to the second location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the processed data comprises transmitting the processed data from the first location to the second location through the central repository.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first knowledge worker comprises a clinical group, the second knowledge worker comprises a healthcare provider, and the processing the data at the first location comprises identifying data for inclusion in patient populations that can be studied and analyzed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first knowledge worker comprises a manufacture of the implantable medical device, the portion of the data comprises data pertaining to operation of the implantable medical device, and the additional data comprises data useful to develop better technologies for future generations of implantable medical devices.

9. A system comprising:

means for receiving data from an implantable medical device and storing it in a central repository;

means for evaluating the accuracy and completeness of the data;

means for generating at least two different data packages, each data package comprising different portions of the data;

means for transmitting at least a first data package from the central repository to a first location associated with a first knowledge worker, the first data package served to a computer system at the first location according to protocols and formats desired by the computer system;

means for processing the first data package at the first location by a computer system, the processing specific to a use of the first data package by the first knowledge worker;

means for generating, at the first location, additional data that is useful to at least one of a patient associated with the implantable medical device or a second knowledge worker; and

means for transmitting the additional data from the first location to a second location associated with the second knowledge worker.

10. The system of claim 9, and further comprising means for generating a notification to the patient associated with the implantable medical device in response to the processing of the data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for generating a notification comprises means for generating the notification by the second knowledge worker.

12. The system of claim 9, and further comprising means for generating a notification from the first location to the second location in response to the processing of the data.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for transmitting the processed data comprises means for transmitting the processed data directly from the first location to the second location.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for transmitting the processed data comprises means for transmitting the processed data from the first location to the second location through the central repository.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first knowledge worker comprises a clinical group, the second knowledge worker comprises a healthcare provider, and the processing the data at the first location comprises identifying data for inclusion in patient populations that can be studied and analyzed.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first knowledge worker comprises a clinical scientist, the data package includes heart data but does not include patient identification information, and the additional data comprises the data useful to gain a better understanding of how implantable medical devices operate in general.

17. A method comprising:

receiving data from an implantable medical device at a central repository;

processing the data by a processing system in communication with the central repository according to a knowledge worker specific application that is specifically tailored to create a data package that includes a portion of the data which is of interest to a first knowledge worker;

storing the data package in the central repository;

transmitting the data package from the central repository to a distribution/presentation system in communication with the central repository;

serving the data package from the distribution/presentation system to a first location associated with the first knowledge worker according to protocols and formats of a computer system at the first location;

performing further processing of the data package at the first location to obtain data results and to generate instructions corresponding to the data results; and

transmitting the instructions from the first location to a second location associated with a second knowledge worker.

18. The method of claim 17, and further comprising generating a notification from the first location to the second location in response to the processing of the data.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the processed data comprises transmitting the processed data directly from the first location to the second location.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the processed data comprises transmitting the processed data from the first location to the second location through the central repository.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first knowledge worker comprises a clinical group, the second knowledge worker comprises a healthcare provider, and the instructions comprises instructions to include or exclude a patient in a patient population that can be studied and analyzed.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the first knowledge worker comprises a health-care worker, the portion of the data includes electrocardiogram data (ECG) and patient identification information for a patient in which the implantable medical device is implanted, and the instructions comprise an improved therapy for the patient.