Remote monitoring systems for monitoring medical devices via wireless communication networks

A system for enabling the monitoring of a plurality of medical devices, the system comprising:

• a device integrator server in communication with at least one wireless relay device via a mobile communications network, wherein said wireless relay device is configured to transmit data packets containing information provided by the medical devices, and
• said device integrator server is configured to receive the transmitted packets, to extract a packet type, a medical device ID and medical device data from each received packet, to identify a registered location associated with the extracted medical device ID, and to store the extracted medical device data with the extracted medical device ID and registered location in a device control database;
• a web server configured for hosting web pages for display on a user computer, said web server being coupled to a patient data management system via a secure communications link;
• and
• a data management component coupled to said device integrator server and said web server, said data management component comprising said device control database, an applications database and a secure device server, wherein
• said device integrator server is configured to reply to said wireless relay via said mobile communications network when said packet type for a received data packet matches a predetermined packet type, and
• said web server is configured to retrieve a destination address from said application database according to said registered location data, to retrieve patient data and medical device ID data from said patient data management system via said secure communications link according to said destination address, to retrieve said medical device data from said device control database via said secure device server according to said registered location data and said medical device ID data, and to prepare a web page for displaying said retrieved medical device data and patient data at the user computer.

A method for processing a medical device alert in a medical device monitoring system, the method comprising the steps of:

• remotely receiving a data packet from a wireless relay device in communication with a medical device;
• retrieving from the data packet a packet type, a medical device ID and a registered location of the medical device;
• determining if said packet type is indicative of an alert condition;
• retrieving alert response information from a patient data management system via a secure communications link;
• and
• transmitting said alert response information to said medical relay device.

A method for registering a medical device for a patient with a medical device monitoring system, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving credentials of a user of a set-up computer;
• receiving medical device identification data and associated patient identification data for a patient to be monitored;
• verifying said user is authorized to initialize a medical device associated with the medical device information;
• if verification is achieved then,
• (a) storing said medical device identification data in a device control database of said device data management system;
• (b) identifying, based on at least said received medical device identification data or patient identification data, an address for a secure patient database having information regarding said patient;
• and
• (c) storing said identified address in said device data management system in association with said medical device identification data;
• and
• forwarding said patient identification data and said address to a web server that will generate secure webpages of medical device monitor information for access by a user of a monitoring computer.

A method for displaying medical device data by a medical device monitoring system, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving credentials from a user of a monitoring computer and a request from said user for medical device information for a patient to be monitored;
• verifying said user is authorized to receive the medical device information;
• and
• if verification is achieved, then
• (a) identifying, based on at least said credentials and said request, an address for a secure patient database having information regarding said patient;
• (b) retrieving patient data and associated medical device identification data by a web server from said patient data management system over a secure communications link;
• (c) retrieving medical device data from a device control database for at least one medical device according to said retrieved medical device identification data;
• and
• (d) transmitting said retrieved medical device data by said web server for display on said monitoring computer.

A method for controlling a medical device by a medical device monitoring system, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving credentials from a user of a monitoring computer and a request from said user to control a medical device;
• verifying said user is authorized to control said medical device;
• and
• if verification is achieved, then
• logging said request in a device control database;
• transmitting a control command based on said user request to a relay device, said relay device being configured to issue said control command to said medical device;
• receiving an update message from said relay device in response to said control command;
• and
• logging said update message in said device control database.