Surgery – Diagnostic testing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-11
2003-05-06
Nasser, Robert L. (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06558321
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of healthcare. Particularly, in the remote monitoring and modulation of a medical device on or in a subject.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Over 100 million people in the United States currently have chronic health conditions and the annual medical costs to treat these patients are rapidly increasing. Consequently, many healthcare providers have initiated outpatient or home healthcare programs for their patients. Unfortunately the success of these programs relies heavily on the ability of the healthcare provider to monitor the patient remotely to avert medical problems before they become complicated and costly.
Initial attempts to remotely monitor patients required the use of interactive telephone or video response systems (U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,238 to Kirk et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,611 to Tamura, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,047 to David et al.). The major disadvantage of these systems is the requirement for patient compliance with a rigid monitoring regimen. Often times patients neglect to contact the central facility for monitoring; consequently data collected is sometimes incomplete and inconsistent.
More recent attempts to- monitor patients remotely have included the use of personal computers and the Internet to establish communications between patients and healthcare providers. There are two disadvantages to these methods. First these systems requires that the patient have a computer and be computer literate. Unfortunately not all patients have access to a computer and many may not be computer literate. Second, providing patients with computer systems to assist healthcare providers in monitoring their patients medical condition is cost prohibitive.
Other systems are available that monitor a patients medical condition as well as querying the patients for other information such as quality of life measures or psycho-social variables of their illness. Unfortunately, these systems require extensive patient interaction and compliance with rigid regimens. In addition, the data collected by extensive query are subjective and consequently does not supply the healthcare provider with information on which to adequately instruct the patient. Consequently there is a need for systems and methods that are relatively inexpensive for the patient to purchase and use, and that require minimal patient interaction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of healthcare. Particularly, in the remote monitoring and modulation of a medical device on or in a subject. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a system comprising; a) a medical device capable of detecting subject information; and b) a central monitoring system comprising computer memory, a computer processor, and a data server application, wherein the central monitoring system is capable of processing the subject information from the medical device to generate manipulated information. In certain embodiments, the medical device comprises a transmitting and receiving component (e.g. a phone line, cable, antenna, etc). In particular embodiments, the medical device comprises a modem (e.g. for sending and receiving information to and from the internet or world-wide-web). In some embodiments, the medical device comprises computer memory. In preferred embodiments, the medical device comprises a biological fluid measuring device.
In some embodiments, the system of the present invention comprises: a) a medical device capable of detecting subject information; b) a central monitoring system comprising computer memory, a computer processor, and a data server application, wherein the central monitoring system is capable of processing the subject information to generate manipulated information; and c) a receiving device comprising computer memory, wherein the receiving device is capable of receiving the subject information from the medical device and transmitting the subject information to the central monitoring system. In certain embodiments, the manipulated information comprises calibration information. In some embodiments, the receiving device is further capable of receiving the manipulated information from the central monitoring system. In further embodiments, the receiving device is further capable of being calibrated by utilizing the manipulated information.
In some embodiments, the central monitoring system comprises computer memory (or a computer memory device), a computer processor, and a data server application. In some embodiments, the computer memory (or computer memory device) and computer processor are part of the same computer. In other embodiments, the computer memory device or computer memory are located on one computer and the computer processor is located on a different computer. In some embodiments, the computer memory is connected to the computer processor through the Internet or World Wide Web. In some embodiments, the computer memory is on a computer readable medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, compact disk, DVD, etc). In other embodiments, the computer memory (or computer memory device) and computer processor are connected via a local network or intranet. In some embodiments, the data server application is stored on the computer memory or computer memory device. In some embodiments, the central monitoring system further comprises computer readable medium with the data server application stored thereon. In further embodiments, the central monitoring system comprises computer memory, a computer processor, and the data server application is located on the computer memory, and the computer processor is able to read the data server application from the computer memory (e.g., ROM or other computer memory) and perform a set of steps according to the data server application (e.g. thereby processing subject information). In certain embodiments, the central monitoring system comprises a computer memory device, a computer processor, a data server application, an interactive device (e.g., keyboard, mouse, voice recognition system), and a display system (e.g., monitor, speaker system, etc.).
In particular embodiments, the receiving device is further capable of displaying the manipulated information. In further embodiments, the receiving device is further capable of transmitting the manipulated information to the medical device. In particular embodiments, the medical device is further capable of being calibrated by utilizing the manipulated information. In some embodiments, the medical device is capable of dispensing an agent in response to the manipulated information (e.g. insulin). In preferred embodiments, the medical device comprises a biological fluid measuring device.
In some embodiments, the system of the present invention comprises: a) a medical device capable of detecting subject information; b) a central monitoring system comprising computer memory, a computer processor, and a data server application, wherein the central monitoring system is capable of processing the subject information to generate manipulated information; c) a receiving device comprising computer memory, wherein the receiving device is capable of receiving the subject information from the medical device and transmitting the subject information to the central monitoring system; and d) a hosted electronic environment, wherein the hosted electronic environment is operably linked to the central monitoring system. In some embodiments, the hosted electronic environment comprises a world wide web page. In further embodiments, the world wide web page is interactive (e.g. a subject or physician may manipulate information on the web page). In particular embodiments, the hosted electronic environment is capable of displaying the subject information. In certain embodiments, the hosted electronic environment is capable of displaying the manipulated information. In preferred embodiments, the medical device comprises a biological fluid measuring device.
In some embodiments, the system further comprises a dispensing device, wherein the receiving device is fur
Burd John F.
Jacobs Peter G.
Sell William J.
Shults Mark C.
DexCom, Inc.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Nasser Robert L.
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