US 7,933,817 B2 · Billing method for pump usage

Abstract

Disclosed are methods of leasing or billing for the usage of a portable suction pump adapted for use in a suction-assisted would treatment system. The pump has means for recording time units corresponding to periods of time when the pump is operating and for providing reports of usage time. The pump further has means for detecting that the wound treatment system is operating normally so as to be compliant with standards for suction wound treatment, and for recording and reporting time of normal operation or compliant usage. The methods include leasing the pump at a payment schedule that is based upon the amount of actual usage time or the amount of compliant usage time. The lease payment may include an amount of pre-paid time units such that unused time units can be credited to a new or renewed lease for a replacement pump. The billing methods can also be based in whole or in part on a planned maintenance schedule for the pump.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A method of billing for the usage of a portable suction pump for suction-assisted wound treatment, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a portable suction pump to a user for treating a wound;
(b) inputting data, by the user, into a user interface of the pump, the data related to compliant operation of the pump, wherein compliant operation is operation of the pump when medically effective suction is being applied to a wound;
(c) operating the pump by the user;
(d) measuring pump negative pressure from the wound using an instrumentation sensor selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor and a flow sensor;
(e) determining the compliant operation of the pump by a monitoring system of the pump;
(f) recording and accumulating time units of compliant operation by a timing subsystem of the pump,
(g) reporting time units of compliant operation by a reporting subsystem of the pump;
and
(h) billing for the pump at a payment schedule that is based at least in part upon the recorded compliant operation.

6 more elements

A method of leasing a portable suction pump in a suction-assisted wound treatment system, comprising:

(a) providing the pump to a user for treating a wound, the pump having means for detecting compliant operation of the system, the pump being adapted for recording operation time units and for recording compliant operation time units, wherein compliant operation time units are time units where operation of the pump causes medically effective suction to be applied to a wound,
(b) inputting data, by the user into a user interface of the pump, the data related to compliant operation of the pump;
(c) operating the pump by the user;
(d) measuring pump negative pressure from the wound using an instrumentation sensor selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor and a flow sensor;
(e) determining the compliant operation of the pump by a monitoring system of the pump;
(f) recording and accumulating time units of operation by a timing subsystem of the pump;
(g) recording and accumulating time units of compliant operation by the timing subsystem of the pump,
(h) relating the accumulated time units of operation and the accumulated time units of compliant operation to a standard for determining a compliant treatment factor for wound healing;
and
(i) leasing the pump at a payment schedule that is based at least in part on the compliant treatment factor.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Billing method for pump usage

Life of this patent

Billing method for pump usage

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29