US 7,899,545 B2 · Methods and systems for semi-automatic adjustment of medical monitoring and treatment

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for adjusting the operation of implantable stimulation devices used to provide medical monitoring and treatment. Several hierarchical algorithms are described which operate according to conditionally obtaining a patient response to an alert signal. In one such strategy semi-automatic therapy adjustment occurs by automatically issuing patient alert messages when selected operations are to occur, and using a patient's response to the alert message that is provided within a selected time limit in order to contingently adjust therapy. Methods are also described for resolving conflicts which may occur when time information and sensed data information each indicate different patient states are occurring. Although treatment of neural and cardiac disorders is emphasized, the techniques can be applied to the monitoring and treatment of any medical disorder with an implanted device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An external patient programmer for providing medical monitoring comprising:

monitoring circuitry configured for implementing a monitoring program which operates according to a monitoring protocol having monitoring parameters;
alerting circuitry configured for alerting the patient by implementing an alert program and operating according to an alerting protocol having alert parameters, said protocol including providing patient alerting in response to detection of events and providing patient alerting of proposed changes to at least one monitoring protocol;
a patient input module configured for obtaining a patient input response and modifying at least one of the alerting protocol and the monitoring protocol based upon this response, and at least one patient response rule which evaluates this response and the recent history of alert events that has occurred;
a communication module configured for providing communication between the programmer and at least one implanted monitoring device which is configured to communicate with the external patient programmer.

1 more element

An external patient programmer for providing medical treatment in conjunction with at least one implanted device comprising:

treatment circuitry configured for implementing a monitoring and treatment according to a treatment program which operates according to a treatment protocol having treatment parameters;
alerting circuitry configured for alerting the patient by implementing an alert program and operating according to an alerting protocol having alerting parameters, said protocol including providing patient alerting in response to detection of medical events and providing patient alerting of proposed changes to at least one treatment protocol;
a patient input module configured for obtaining a patient input response and modifying at least one of the alerting protocol, treatment protocol, or the monitoring protocol based upon at least one patient response rule which evaluates this response in accordance with response rules defined in the alerting protocol and in relation to a recent history of alert events;
a communication module configured for providing communication between the programmer and the at least one implanted treatment device.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and systems for semi-automatic adjustment of medical monitoring and treatment

Life of this patent

Methods and systems for semi-automatic adjustment of medical monitoring and treatment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20