Surgery – Diagnostic testing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-09-11
Lacyk, John P. (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
C128S903000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287252
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates generally to medical devices, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for remotely monitoring physiological signals for a patient.
Managed health care providers are redefining the practice of medicine in this country. Managed health care providers continually search for means to cut costs while maintaining patient services. One example of cost consciousness is found in the growth of outpatient surgery services presently offered. Certain surgery services are being offered today on an outpatient basis that would have ordinarily resulted in a two or three day hospital stay just a few years ago. Since the services are classified as outpatient, the providers save money on hospital expenses.
For various reasons including advances in the medical arts and the prevalence of managed care, a growing trend has emerged to accelerate the discharge of patients from a hospital when the services provided are on an inpatient basis. As such, care givers and managed health care providers alike are increasingly looking for methods which facilitate the early release of patients with out jeopardizing patient care.
Certain health care events require monitoring of one or more patient physiological signals. For example, patients vital signs are monitored in a recovery room after inpatient surgery procedures. Typically, vital signs for a plurality of patients are maintained by a central station, with each patient separately “wired” into the system. While these systems are beneficial to monitor the patient's recovery, the systems are costly and are not readily portable.
When a patient is “out of danger”, he or she can be moved back to a room or ward. There, once again, various vital signs of the patient may be monitored by a second central system responsible for maintaining information for each patient in a room, a ward or other grouping of patients. These second type monitoring systems typically do not monitor as many physiological signals, since in most cases the patient is perceived to be out of significant danger. While this may reduce some costs, again this type of monitoring system is typically costly and not readily portable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general, in one aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for monitoring physiological data generated by sensors disposed on or in a patient. The apparatus includes an interface operable to receive data signals generated by the sensors and a data processor coupled to the interface and operable to format data signals received from the interface into one or more frames of data where each frame includes a transmitter identifier that is unique to the apparatus. A transmitter is included that is operable to receive the frames from the data processor and broadcast the frames using radio frequency signals to a local receiver located in close proximity to the patient. A patch is attached to the patient and has a first surface on which the interface, data processor and transmitter are disposed.
Aspects of the invention can include one or more of the following features. The patch can be attached using an adhesive. The interface can include a connector and a power interlock. The connector couples lead wires from the sensors to the apparatus. The power interlock is operable to disable the apparatus when the connector is mismated. The apparatus is configurable into two or more modes. The connector includes one or more pins for designating a mode of operation for the apparatus where the mode of operation can be selected from a continuous transmit mode and an intermittent transmit mode. The interface can include three pins which are configurable to select the mode of operation for the apparatus. The apparatus can include means for detecting a short circuit condition across a pair of the three pins and setting a mode identifier for the apparatus based on which pair of pins is identified as being shorted. The shorted pair of pins can provide the power interlock.
The transmitter can be a coil of a transformer that is operable to induce data signals for the frames from the transmitter to a complementary coil in a local receiver located in close proximity to the patient. The transmitter identifier can be derived from a pseudo-random number produced by the apparatus. The transmitter identifier can be derived from data samples from one or more sensors.
The apparatus can include signal conditioning means coupled between the interface and the data processor that are operable to condition data signals received from the sensors prior to processing by the data processor.
An adhesive can be applied to the first surface of the patch such that the first surface is adjacent to and fixedly attached to the skin of the patient. The patch can include a second surface opposite the first surface and where the second surface is adjacent to and fixedly attached to the skin of the patient.
The data processor can include a controller for selectively processing a subset of the frames. The controller can be configured to only pass the subset of frames to the transmitter for transmission to the local receiver.
In another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for monitoring physiological data generated by sensors disposed on or in a patient. The apparatus includes a portable communications module in proximity to the sensors. The portable communications module includes a receiver operable to receive radio frequency signals including data frames representative of the physiological data and a detector for deciphering frames of data received by the receiver and rejecting frames from other devices in close proximity to the apparatus. A controller is included that is operable to compare data values for signals generated by the sensors with predetermined alarm functions and generate frames of data for transmission to a central monitoring station if an alarm is triggered. A location sensor is included for determining the location of the portable communications module. A transmitter module operates to, upon the detection of the alarm: initiate a communication link between the portable communications monitor and the central monitoring station, transmit physiological and location data and open a voice communication link between the central monitoring station and the patient.
Aspects of the invention can include one or more of the following features. The receiver can be one coil of a transformer where data signals are induced on the one coil from an associated coil in close proximity to the sensors. The location sensor can be a global positioning receiver. The transmitter module can include a cellular telephone.
In another aspect, the invention provides a patient monitoring system for monitoring physiological signals generated by sensors disposed on or in a patient. The patient monitoring system includes a patch and a portable communications module. The patch includes an interface, a data processor, transmitter and adhesive patch. The interface couples signals generated by the sensors to the data processor. The data processor operates to format data signals received into one or more frames of data where each frame includes a unique transmitter identifier. The transmitter operates to receive the frames from the data processor and broadcast the frames using radio frequency signals. The adhesive patch is adhesively attached to the patient and has a first surface on which the interface, data processor and transmitter are disposed.
The portable communications module is in proximity to the patch and includes a detector for deciphering frames of data received from a patch, a screening engine for screening communications transmitted by other patches and a controller. The controller operates to compare data values for signals generated by the sensors with predetermined alarm functions and generates frames of data for transmission to a central monitoring station if an alarm is triggered. The portable communications module includes a location sensor for determining the location of the communications module. The communications module operates to, upon the
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Lacyk John P.
Marmor II Charles
Monitrak
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