초록 ▼

A networked health-monitoring system for collecting and processing patient health-related data. A plurality of remote patient sites each includes at least one display, a data management unit configured to facilitate collection of patient health-related data, a memory, and stored program instructions

A networked health-monitoring system for collecting and processing patient health-related data. A plurality of remote patient sites each includes at least one display, a data management unit configured to facilitate collection of patient health-related data, a memory, and stored program instructions for generating health-monitoring related information on the display. At least one central server connects to the data management unit at each patient site and the system allows a patient at a remote patient site to control the display of health-monitoring related information on the display.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A networked health-monitoring system comprising: a plurality of remote patient sites, each remote patient site associated with a respective patient and including a respective patient device comprising (i) at least one display, (ii) a data management unit configured to f

The invention claimed is: 1. A networked health-monitoring system comprising: a plurality of remote patient sites, each remote patient site associated with a respective patient and including a respective patient device comprising (i) at least one display, (ii) a data management unit configured to facilitate collection of patient health-related data, (iii) a memory, and (iv) stored program instructions for collecting said health-related data of said respective patient and generating health-monitoring related information on the at least one display of the respective patient device; and at least one central server connectable for communication with the respective patient device at each of the remote patient sites, wherein (i) each of the data management units is configured to establish a respective communication link with the central server to enter a communications mode, (ii) the central server is configured to send the stored program instructions to the remote patient sites of the respective patient in response to establishing the respective communication link, and (iii) the stored program instructions are received by the respective patient device from the at least one central server and when executed allow the respective patient at a respective remote patient site to control presentation of the health-monitoring related information to the respective patient on the at least one display of the respective patient device. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the stored program instructions are further configured to allow the respective patient to control presentation of the health-monitoring related information using at least one menu. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one menu allows the respective patient to select any one operational mode from the set consisting of: a display mode for displaying relevant information; an input mode for providing information; and a communications mode for establishing a link with the central server. 4. The system of claim 3, further comprising at least one health-monitoring device configured to monitor at least one patient health condition at at least one remote patient site and to communicate data related to a monitored condition to the central server. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one menu allows the respective patient to select a monitoring mode in which the at least one health-monitoring device is used. 6. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one health-monitoring device comprises one or more devices selected from the set consisting of: a blood glucose monitor; a peak flow meter; a blood pressure monitor; a pulse monitor; and a body temperature monitor. 7. The system of claim 4, wherein the respective patient device facilitates collection of health-related data by receiving data related to the monitored condition from the at least one health-monitoring device. 8. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one menu allows the respective patient to display messages or instructions from a health care professional. 9. The system of claim 3, wherein the system is configured to enable the respective patient to respond to information on the display by using a cursor or other indicator positioned at a selected item. 10. The system of claim 4, wherein the memory and the display are in the at least one health-monitoring device. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the display is in a handheld device. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the handheld device is capable of displaying pictorial health-monitoring related information. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the handheld device is capable of displaying animated health-monitoring related information. 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the respective patient device is configured to facilitate collection of health-related data entered by the respective patient at the associated remote patient site using buttons, keys or switches. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the respective patient device at the remote patient site is physically separate from the display. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a program cartridge. 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote patient sites further include at least one personal computer connected to the respective patient device. 18. The system of claim 1, wherein the system produces reports based on the collected patient health-related data. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the reports are standardized. 20. The system of claim 19, further configured to provide at least one health care professional, remotely located from the remote patient sites, with reports based on the patient health-related data collected at the remote patient sites. 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the system is configured to allow a health care professional to select which of the standardized reports is produced. 22. The system of claim 18, wherein the reports use graphs and/or icons. 23. The system of claim 18, wherein the reports can be generated periodically. 24. The system of claim 18, wherein the central server can generate the report. 25. The system of claim 24, wherein a healthcare professional computer receives the report after transmitting an authorization code to the central server that identifies an associated healthcare professional as an authorized user. 26. The system of claim 18, wherein the system can also display at least one report on the display at each remote patient site. 27. The system of claim 18, wherein the system can display statistical and/or trend information. 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the system can display statistical or trend information to the respective patient. 29. The system of claim 18, wherein the report includes information data for a period of time. 30. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to transmit at least one message to at least one remote patient site for display to the associated respective patient on at least one display. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the message includes step-by-step instructions. 32. The system of claim 30, wherein the message includes results of a test. 33. The system of claim 30, wherein the message includes diagnostic information indicating whether a test has proceeded in a normal fashion. 34. The system of claim 30, wherein the message is a multi-line message. 35. The system of claim 30, wherein the message is a health care professional selected message. 36. The system of claim 35, wherein the healthcare professional generates the selected message. 37. The system of claim 30, wherein the message is educational or motivational. 38. The system of claim 30, wherein the system is configured to transmit the message to a specific patient. 39. The system of claim 38, wherein the system is configured to transmit the message automatically to the specific patient. 40. The system of claim 38, wherein the system is configured to transmit the message to the specific patient when the specific patient chooses. 41. The system of claim 40, wherein the message can be stored before being transmitted to the specific patient. 42. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to transmit programs, over the respective communication link, for storage in the memory and execution at the remote patient site. 43. The system of claim 1, wherein the respective patient can indicate user experienced symptoms to the system. 44. The system of claim 1, wherein the system can capture quantitative measurements. 45. The system of claim 44, wherein the system can capture medication data. 46. The system of claim 1, wherein the collected patient health-related data includes time data. 47. A method of collecting and processing patient health-related data, comprising: associating each of a plurality of remote patient sites with a respective patient, wherein each of the remote patient sites includes a respective patient device configured to facilitate collection of patient health-related data from the respective patient; using program instructions, received from at least one central server connectable for communication with the respective patient device and stored in a memory of the respective patient device, to generate health-monitoring related information on at least one display of the respective patient device at the respective remote patient site; collecting the patient-health related data at the respective remote patient site through execution of the program instructions; connecting said at least one central server for communication with the respective patient device at the respective remote patient site to communicate said program instructions to said respective patient device in a first mode and to communicate said patient-health related data to said at least one central server in a second mode, wherein (i) a data management unit is configured to establish a respective communication link with the central server to enter said first mode as a communications mode, (ii) the central server is configured to send the program instructions to the remote patient sites of the respective patient in response to establishing the respective communication link, and (iii); and allowing the respective patient at the respective remote patient site to control presentation of health-monitoring related information to the respective patient on the at least one display of the respective patient device at the respective remote patient site through execution of the program instructions. 48. The method of claim 47, wherein the program instructions are further configured to allow the respective patient to control presentation of health-monitoring related information using at least one menu. 49. The method of claim 48, wherein the at least one menu allows the respective patient to select any one operational mode from the set consisting of: a display mode for displaying relevant information; an input mode for providing information; and a communications mode for establishing a link with the central server. 50. The method of claim 49, further comprising using at least one health-monitoring device to monitor at least one patient health condition at least one remote patient site and to communicate data related to a monitored condition to the central server. 51. The method of claim 50, wherein the at least one menu allows the respective patient to select a monitoring mode in which the at least one health-monitoring device is used. 52. The method of claim 50, wherein the at least one health-monitoring device includes one or more devices from the set consisting of: a blood glucose monitor; a peak flow meter; a blood pressure monitor; a pulse monitor; and a body temperature monitor. 53. The method of claim 50, wherein the respective patient device facilitates collection of health-related data by receiving data related to the monitored condition from the at least one health-monitoring device. 54. The method of claim 50, wherein the memory and the display are in the at least one health-monitoring device. 55. The method of claim 54, wherein the display is in a handheld device. 56. The method of claim 55, further comprising displaying pictorial health-monitoring related information on the handheld display. 57. The method of claim 56, further comprising displaying animated health-monitoring related information on the handheld display. 58. The method of claim 55, wherein the memory comprises a program cartridge. 59. The method of claim 49, wherein the at least one menu allows the respective patient to display messages or instructions from a health care professional. 60. The method of claim 49, wherein the respective patient responds to information on the display by using a cursor or other indicator positioned at a selected item. 61. The method of claim 47, wherein the respective patient device is configured to facilitate collection of health-related data entered by the respective patient at the remote patient site using buttons, keys or switches. 62. The method of claim 61, wherein the respective patient device at the remote patient site is physically separate from the at least one display. 63. The method of claim 47, further comprising connecting at least one personal computer at the remote patient site to the respective patient device. 64. The method of claim 58, further comprising generating at least one report based on collected patient health-related data. 65. The method of claim 64, wherein the report is standardized. 66. The method of claim 65, further comprising providing at least one health care professional, remotely located from the remote patient sites, with reports based on the patient health-related data collected at the remote patient sites. 67. The method of claim 65, further comprising allowing a health care professional to select which of the standardized reports is produced. 68. The method of claim 64, wherein the report uses graphs and/or icons. 69. The method of claim 64, wherein the report is generated periodically. 70. The method of claim 64, further comprising displaying at least one report on the at least one display at the remote patient site. 71. The method of claim 64, further comprising displaying statistical and/or trend information. 72. The method of claim 71, further comprising displaying statistical or trend information to the respective patient. 73. The method of claim 64, wherein the report includes information data for a period of time. 74. The method of claim 64, wherein a healthcare professional computer receives the report after transmitting an authorization code to the central server that identifies an associated healthcare professional as an authorized user. 75. The method of claim 47, further comprising transmitting at least one message to at least one remote patient site for display to the respective patient on the at least one display. 76. The method of claim 75, wherein the message includes step-by-step instructions. 77. The method of claim 75, wherein the message includes results of a test. 78. The method of claim 75, wherein the message includes diagnostic information indicating whether a test has proceeded in a normal fashion. 79. The method of claim 75, wherein the message is a multi-line message. 80. The method of claim 75, wherein the message is a health care professional selected message. 81. The method of claim 80, wherein the healthcare professional generates the selected message. 82. The method of claim 75, wherein the message is educational or motivational. 83. The method of claim 75, further comprising transmitting the message to a specific patient. 84. The method of claim 83, further comprising transmitting the message automatically to the specific patient. 85. The method of claim 83, further comprising transmitting the message to the specific patient when the specific patient chooses. 86. The method of claim 85, further comprising storing the message before transmitting the message to the specific patient. 87. The method of claim 47, further comprising providing programs from the central server to each of the remote patient sites, storing the program instructions in the memory and executing the program instructions at the remote patient sites. 88. The method of claim 47, wherein the respective patient indicates user experienced symptoms to the system. 89. The method of claim 47, further comprising capturing quantitative measurements. 90. The method of claim 89, further comprising capturing medication data. 91. The method of claim 47, wherein the collected patient health-related data includes time data. 92. A system for collecting and processing patient health-related data, comprising: a plurality of remote patient sites, each site associated with a respective patient and including a respective patient device comprising (i) at least one display means, (ii) a data management means for facilitating collection of the patient health-related data, (iii) a memory means, and (iv) stored program instructions for collecting said patient health-related data and generating health-monitoring related information on the at least one display means of the respective patient device; at least one central server means connectable for communication with the respective patient device at each remote patient site, wherein (i) the data management means is configured to establish a respective communication link with the central server to enter a communications mode, (ii) the central server is configured to send the stored program instructions to the remote patient sites of the respective patient in response to establishing the respective communication link, and (iii) the stored program instructions are communicated from the central server means to the respective patient device; and means for allowing each respective patient at each respective remote patient site to control presentation of health-monitoring related information on the at least one display of the respective patient device through execution of the stored program instructions.