System for monitoring the use of medical devices

摘要

A system for monitoring the use of a home-based medical apparatus providing medical therapy to a patient incorporates communication technology to permit communication from the operated component of the medical apparatus to a central station through one or more of Bluetooth® telephone communications, Smart Phone communications, Internet communications through a network, or other known or forthcoming communication devices. The operated medical apparatus can report any operational function to the central station for monitoring by medical professionals or caregivers, including the timing of any operation of the apparatus, the duration of operation, the effectiveness of the therapy, and malfunctions in the operation of the apparatus. The monitoring system is particularly adapted for use with inflation garment therapy and negative pressure wound therapy systems. The medical apparatus can also be provided with an RFD tag so that the medical apparatus, and perhaps the patient using the medical apparatus, can be found.

主权项

1. A monitoring system for an externally applied medical therapy apparatus being operated by a patient on whom the medical therapy apparatus is operating in a home environment without benefit of a caregiver, said medical therapy apparatus including a pump having operational functions resulting in operational parameters relating to the effective utilization of the operational functions provided by the medical therapy apparatus, comprising:
a wireless communications transmitter operatively connected to said pump, said communications transmitter being configured to transmit data relating to the operational functions of the medical apparatus to a remote central station located remotely from said home environment for review by a medical professional located remotely from said home environment, said data including the following operational parameters, a time at which the pump is operated, a length of duration the pump is operated, effectiveness of the operation of the pump, and existence of a malfunction of the pump; wherein said medical apparatus is an inflatable garment therapy system and said pump includes a controller for applying pressurized air to an inflatable garment worn by the patient, said controller being operably connected to said communications transmitter to transmit to said remote central station the operational parameters of the inflatable garment therapy system including the heart rate of the patient, the length of time the therapy is utilized and the frequency of operation of the therapy; wherein said inflatable garment therapy system further includes a pulse oximeter that determines the oxygen level in an appendage of the patient, said communications transmitter providing feedback to said patient as to the oxygen level to give the patient a positive feedback on the utilization of the inflatable garment therapy system.