Communication of emergency medical data over a vulnerable system

• US 8,380,631 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vocera Acquisition Corporation (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mvisum Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Dala, Praveen, Dala, Seema
• Primary Examiner(s): Coppola, Jacob C.
• Application Number:
  US13/564,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 202 Days
• Field of Search: 705/52
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

Methods and systems for communicating a patient medical file having personal demographic information, medical data and a diagnostic image include separating the file into layers including a demographic layer demographic information and a data layer. Medical data may be evaluated using an auto-analysis. The demographic layer may be encrypted with a first encryption key, and the data layer may be encrypted with a second encryption key different from the first. The encrypted demographic and data layers may be sent to a server capable of decrypting one of the layers but not both. The data layer may be decrypted at the server and an operation performed to select a second portion of the diagnostic image. The portion of the processed data layer including the selected second portion of the image may be re-encrypted and the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer may be transmitted to a mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for communicating a patient medical file of a patient, said medical file including personal demographic information, medical data and a diagnostic image, the method comprising:

separating the patient medical file into a plurality of layers including a demographic layer comprising the demographic information and a data layer comprising the medical data and the diagnostic image;

evaluating the medical data by automatically analyzing medical data within the data layer;

selecting a portion of the data layer including at least a portion of the diagnostic image on a console;

encrypting the demographic layer using a first encryption key;

encrypting the data layer using a second encryption key, wherein the second encryption key is different from the first encryption key;

sending the encrypted demographic layer and data layer to a server that is capable of decrypting one of the encrypted demographic layer or the data layer but not both;

decrypting the data layer at the server;

selecting a second portion of the diagnostic image;

re-encrypting at least a portion of the processed data layer including the selected second portion of the image; and

transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to a mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an urgency level of the data layer based on the evaluated medical data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising delivering the re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device in a prioritized order based on the urgency level.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining an urgency level of the data layer based on the evaluated medical data comprises:

evaluating the clinical condition of the patient using an auto-analysis of patient medical data;

receiving observations from personnel having contact with the patient;

assessing the capability of personnel and equipment at the treatment facility;

determining the distance and related time between the patient'"'"'s location and the treatment facility; and

ascertaining the availability of the treatment facility based on the time of day.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising confirming that the re-encrypted data layer is received by the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the physician that the data layer is available.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a signal from the mobile device confirming the determined urgency level.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a signal from the mobile device rejecting the determined urgency level.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a signal from the mobile device that modifies the determined urgency level.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a medical procedural workflow for execution within the treatment facility.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the workflow comprises at least one of ordering medical testing, requesting additional information, preparing a medical facility, informing personnel of duties, changing the urgency level, re-administering analysis of medical data, and applying treatment actions to the patient.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a signal from the mobile device initiates the medical procedural workflow.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the medical procedural workflow automatically executes based on the evaluated medical data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the medical data to reference medical data relevant to the patient'"'"'s medical condition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the reference medical data comprises at least one of family medical history information, previous lab results, testing device measurements, documentation of previous procedures, personal health records, recorded notes by an attending medical care professional, and medicine history reports.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing medical information of the data layer using medical testing equipment; and

delivering the captured medical information to the console.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the medical testing equipment comprises one of a defibrillator, a pacemaker, a monitor, a system of electrodes, and therapeutic equipment.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the console is located in a treatment facility.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the data layer comprises an EKG trace.

20. A system for communicating a patient medical file of a patient, said medical file including personal demographic information, medical data and a diagnostic image, the system comprising:

a console comprising a processor coupled to a network;

a mobile device comprising a wireless transceiver and a mobile device processor coupled to the wireless transceiver; and

a server coupled to the network,

wherein the console further comprises a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the console processor, cause the console processor to perform a method comprising;

separating the patient medical file into a plurality of layers including a demographic layer comprising the demographic information and a data layer comprising the medical data and the diagnostic image;

evaluating the medical data by automatically analyzing medical data within the data layer;

selecting a portion of the data layer including at least a portion of the diagnostic image;

encrypting the demographic layer using a first encryption key;

encrypting the data layer using a second encryption key, wherein the second encryption key is different from the first encryption key;

sending the encrypted demographic layer and data layer to the server;

wherein the server is capable of decrypting one of the encrypted demographic layer or the encrypted data layer but not both, and

wherein the server comprises a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the server processor, cause the server processor to perform a method comprising;

decrypting the data layer;

selecting a second portion of the diagnostic image;

re-encrypting at least a portion of the data layer including the selected second portion of the image; and

transmitting the encrypted demographic layer and re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the console memory stores instructions that, when executed by the console processor, cause the console processor to perform a method further comprising determining an urgency level of the data layer based on the evaluated medical data.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the server memory stores instructions that, when executed by the server processor, cause the server processor to perform a method further comprising delivering the re-encrypted data layer to the mobile device in a prioritized order based on the urgency level.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein determining an urgency level of the data layer based on the evaluated medical data comprises:

evaluating the clinical condition of the patient using an auto-analysis of patient medical data;

receiving observations from personnel having contact with the patient;

assessing the capability of personnel and equipment at the treatment facility;

determining the distance and related time between the patient'"'"'s location and the treatment facility; and

ascertaining the availability of the treatment facility based on the time of day.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the mobile device further comprises a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the mobile device processor, causes the mobile device processor to perform a method comprising confirming that the re-encrypted data layer is received by the mobile device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the mobile device memory stores instructions that, when executed by the mobile device processor, cause the mobile device processor to perform a method further comprising generating a notification that the data layer is available.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the mobile device memory stores instructions that, when executed by the mobile device processor, cause the mobile device processor to perform a method further comprising transmitting a signal from the mobile device confirming the determined urgency level.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the mobile device memory stores instructions that, when executed by the mobile device processor, cause the mobile device processor to perform a method further comprising transmitting a signal rejecting the determined urgency level.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the mobile device memory stores instructions that, when executed by the mobile device processor, cause the mobile device processor to perform a method further comprising transmitting a signal that modifies the determined urgency level.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the mobile device memory stores instructions that, when executed by the mobile device processor, cause the mobile device processor to perform a method further comprising transmitting a signal that initiates a medical procedural workflow for execution within a treatment facility.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the workflow comprises at least one of ordering medical testing, requesting additional information, preparing a medical facility, informing personnel of duties, changing the urgency level, re-administering analysis of medical data, and applying treatment actions to the patient.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein the console memory stores instructions that, when executed by the console processor, cause the console processor to perform a method further comprising initiating a medical procedural workflow based on the evaluated medical data for automatic execution within a treatment facility.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein the console memory stores instructions that, when executed by the console processor, cause the console processor to perform a method further comprising:

comparing the medical data to reference medical data relevant to the patient'"'"'s medical condition.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the console memory stores instructions that, when executed by the console processor, cause the console processor to perform a method such that the reference medical data comprises at least one of family medical history information, previous lab results, testing device measurements, documentation of previous procedures, personal health records, recorded notes by an attending medical care professional, and medicine history reports.

34. The system of claim 20, further comprising medical testing equipment configured to capture medical information included in the data layer and deliver the capture medical information to the console.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the medical testing equipment comprises one of a defibrillator, a pacemaker, a monitor, a system of electrodes, and therapeutic equipment.

36. The system of claim 20, wherein the data layer comprises an EKG trace.