System and method for remote encounter and status assessment using parallel data and voice communication paths

A system for providing health care consultation to remote patients comprising:

• a cellular network for providing voice communications and data communications;
• a remote patient's cellular phone coupled to the network;
• a health care provider's mobile device also coupled to the network;
• and
• a body parameter measuring device coupleable to the remote patient's cellular phone and capable of generating data in response to measuring one or more body parameters,
• wherein the remote patient's cellular phone establishes a voice communication path and a data communication path concurrently across the network with the health care provider's mobile device to provide data transport from the body parameter measuring device to the health care provider's mobile device during voice communication between the remote patient's cellular phone and the health care provider's mobile device to enable the health care provider to provide health care consultation to remote patients.

A method for robust communication for status assessment comprising:

• coupling a parameter measuring device to a first mobile communication device;
• establishing a voice communication path between the first mobile communication device and a second mobile communication device;
• and
• concurrently establishing a data communication path between the first mobile communication device and the second mobile communication device to provide real-time data transport from the parameter measuring device to the second mobile communication device during voice communication therebetween.

A method for remote assessment and monitoring comprising:

• coupling a parameter measuring device to a first mobile device;
• establishing a voice communication path with a central monitoring system from the first mobile device;
• and
• concurrently establishing a data communication path with the central monitoring system to provide data transport from the parameter measuring device to a second mobile device via the central monitoring system.