EP4762571A1

EP4762571A1 - Medical data relay device, method and implant communication system

Info

Publication number: EP4762571A1
Application number: EP24746363.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jens Mueller; Daniel Krueger; Hendrik DEUTSCHMANN
Original assignee: Biotronik SE and Co KG
Current assignee: Biotronik SE and Co KG
Priority date: 2023-08-17
Filing date: 2024-07-29
Publication date: 2026-06-24
Also published as: WO2025036688A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical data relay device (10) for relaying messages between an implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) and a remote network service (14), comprising a controller (16) configured to instantiate and configure at least one virtual relay device (R1, R2...Rn), and the at least one virtual relay device (R1, R2...Rn) configured to communicate with a dedicated implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) via a first interface (18) and with the remote network service (14), in particular directly or via a cloud server (20), via a second interface (22). Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer-implemented method for operating a medical data relay device (10) for relaying messages between an implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) and a remote network service (14) and to an implant communication system (1).

Description

Medical data relay device, method and implant communication system

The invention relates to a medical data relay device for relaying messages between an implantable medical device and a remote network service.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer-implemented method for operating a relay device for relaying messages between an implantable medical device and a remote network service.

Moreover, the invention relates to an implant communication system.

Currently, a patient device that passes data between an active implant and a remote network service can only establish a connection with an active implant. The remote network service also always assumes a one-to-one relationship for patient devices and implants when processing all data.

US 6,386,882 Bl describes an example of this disclosing an interactive medical device operations training system comprising a remote expert data center, said expert data center including training management software and databases for remotely administering skillbased training of an operator for an implanted medical device programmer.

It further comprises a programmer for use at a patient location and adapted to be in data communication with a medical device implanted in a patient, said programmer serving to manage the operation of the implanted medical device including acquisition of patient data through a plurality of software applications resident on the programmer and having training software operable with a skill-based simulation module for supervising training of an operator in the use of the resident software applications, and a bi-directional communications link establishing operable data communications between the programmer and the remote expert data center including a request for training issued by the programmer and the servicing of the request by the expert data center.

In the future, however, it will become increasingly common for the patient to have multiple active implants, each of which will need to exchange data with the remote network service via the patient device, also known as a data relay device.

Currently, the patient would need a separate device for each active implant with home monitoring functionality. From the perspective of usability and manufacturing and operating costs, this circumstance is disadvantageous.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved way of managing a data exchange between a remote network service and multiple patient implants.

The object is solved by a medical data relay device for relaying messages between an implantable medical device and a remote network service having the features of claim 1.

Furthermore, the object is solved by a computer-implemented method for operating a relay device for relaying messages between an implantable medical device and a remote network service having the features of claim 12.

Moreover, the object is solved by an implant communication system having the features of claim 13.

In addition, the object is solved by a computer program having the features of claim 14 and by a computer-readable data carrier having the features of claim 15.

Further developments and advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

The present invention provides a medical data relay device for relaying messages between an implantable medical device and a remote network service. The medical data relay device comprises a controller configured to instantiate and configure at least one virtual relay device, and the at least one virtual relay device configured to communicate with a dedicated implantable medical device via a first interface and with the remote network service, in particular directly or via a cloud server, via a second interface.

The present invention further provides a computer-implemented method for operating a relay device for relaying messages between an implantable medical device and a remote network service.

The method comprises instantiating and configuring at least one virtual relay device by means of a controller, and the at least one virtual relay device communicating with a dedicated implantable medical device via a first interface and with the remote network service, in particular directly or via a cloud server, via a second interface.

Moreover, the present invention provides an implant communication system. The implant communication system comprises a remote network service, at least one implantable medical device, and a medical data relay device according to the present invention configured to communicate, in particular bidirectionally, between the at least one implantable medical device and the remote network service.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a computer program with program code to perform the method according to the present invention when the computer program is executed on a computer. In addition, the present invention provides data carrier containing program code of a computer program for performing the method according to the present invention when the computer program is executed on a computer.

An idea of the present invention is to provide a single physical data relay device to simulate, manage and coordinate multiple patient devices. Thus, the patient only needs one patient device to independently support home monitoring functionality for multiple implants.

The controller of the remote network service does not need to be significantly modified, as the controller does not need to know anything about the simulation. For the controller of the remote network service, there is no difference whether the home monitoring functionality of multiple implants of a patient runs via multiple patient devices or a single patient device with multiple simulated patient devices. According to an aspect of the invention, the medical data relay device further comprises a plurality of virtual relay devices, wherein a first virtual relay device is configured to communicate via the first interface with a first implantable medical device, and wherein a second virtual relay device is configured to communicate via the first interface with a second implantable medical device. Hence, the first and second virtual relay devices as well as the first and second implantable medical devices share the same interface for communicating between the medical data relay device and the implantable medical devices.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the controller is configured to assign respective time slots to each virtual relay device for communicating with its dedicated implantable medical device via the first interface, wherein the first interface supports MICS- band and Bluetooth low energy communication. This ensures that not all virtual relay devices access the shared HW/SW resources at the same time.

According to a further aspect of the invention, each of the plurality of virtual relay devices is configured to receive instant messages from its dedicated implantable medical device, wherein the first interface, upon receipt of the instant message from the implantable medical device, is configured to message the controller to activate the virtual relay device dedicated to the implantable medical device sending the instant message. Thus, when a message is sent from the implantable medical device to the medical data relay device, the controller activates a suitable virtual relay device.

According to a further aspect of the invention, each of the plurality of virtual relay devices is configured to receive interrogation on demand and/or remote scheduling messages from the remote network service, wherein upon receipt of the on demand and/or remote scheduling message, the respective virtual relay device is configured to message the controller to control the first interface to enable communication from the respective virtual relay device to the dedicated implantable medical device. The controller is thus configured to enable bi-directional communication between the remote network service and the implantable medical device. According to a further aspect of the invention, each of the plurality of virtual relay devices runs on at least one dedicated processor and memory area or wherein all of the plurality of virtual relay devices share at least one processor and memory area with each virtual relay device being a different process or wherein the plurality virtual relay devices run on at least one a common processor and memory area in different virtual machines. The virtual relay devices can hence run in a wide range of hardware environments.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the medical data relay device and the plurality of virtual relay devices are each accessible via a different URL or IP-address, and wherein the medical data relay device and the plurality of virtual relay devices each have logically separate communication channels to the remote network service. This enables separate addressing of the medical data relay device and the plurality of virtual relay devices by the remote network service.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the controller is configured to perform firmware updates for the plurality of virtual relay devices received from the remote network service. Firmware updates can thus be centrally distributed by the remote network service.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the medical data relay device supports communication between the medical data relay device or the plurality of virtual relay devices and the remote network service via a secure transport path, in particular HTTPS or MQTT with TLS. Hence, sensitive patient medical data is sent securely to the back-end remote network service.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the medical data relay device supports encrypted communication between the medical data relay device or the plurality of virtual relay devices using a preshared symmetric key or a public/private key. This advantageously further contributes to data security.

According to a further aspect of the invention, each virtual relay device has an identifier to the dedicated implantable medical device and to the remote network service. The respective virtual relay devices can thus be uniquely addressed by the implantable medical device and to the remote network service. The herein described features of the medical data relay device are also disclosed for the computer-implemented method for operating a relay device, the implant communication system and vice versa.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments, which are specified in the schematic figures of the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a diagram of a medical data relay device for relaying messages between an implantable medical device and a remote network service according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of a computer-implemented method for operating a relay device for relaying messages between an implantable medical device and a remote network service according to the preferred embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 3 shows a diagram of an implant communication system according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

The medical data relay device 10 for relaying messages between an implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn and a remote network service 14 shown in Fig. 1 (which together form an implant communication system 1) comprises a controller 16 configured to instantiate and configure at least one virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn, and the at least one virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn configured to communicate with a dedicated implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn via a first interface 18 and with the remote network service 14, in particular directly or via a cloud server 20, via a second interface 22.

In particular, the medical data relay device 10 comprises a plurality of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn, wherein a first virtual relay device Rl is configured to communicate via the first interface 18 with a first implantable medical device IMD1, and wherein a second virtual relay device R2 is configured to communicate via the first interface 18 with a second implantable medical device IMD2.

As shown in Fig. 1, the plurality of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn may comprise any number of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn that are configured to communicate with a corresponding number of implantable medical devices IMD1, IMD2...IMDn.

The controller 16 is configured to assign respective time slots to each virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn for communicating with its dedicated implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn via the first interface 18, wherein the first interface 18 supports MICS-band and Bluetooth low energy communication.

Preferably, the first interface 18 is a MICS or BLE interface. In an alternative embodiment, the first interface 18 may include more than one radio transmission technology (e.g., MICS + BLE interface). In that case, the virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rns may use different technologies to exchange data with the implant (e.g., the first implantable medical device IMD1 communicates with the first virtual relay device Rl via BLE and the second implantable medical device IMD2 communicates with the second virtual relay device R2 via MICS).

Each of the plurality of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn is configured to receive instant messages from its dedicated implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn, wherein the first interface 18, upon receipt of the instant message from the implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn, is configured to message the controller 16 to activate the virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn dedicated to the implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn sending the instant message.

Furthermore, each of the plurality of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn is configured to receive interrogation on demand and/or remote scheduling messages from the remote network service 14, wherein upon receipt of the on demand and/or remote scheduling message, the respective virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn is configured to message the controller 16 to control the first interface 18 to enable communication from the respective virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn to the dedicated implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn.

The medical data relay device 10 and the plurality of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn are each accessible via a different URL or IP-address. Moreover, the medical data relay device 10 and the plurality of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn each have logically separate communication channels to the remote network service 14.

In addition, the controller 16 is configured to perform firmware updates for the plurality of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn received from the remote network service 14.

The medical data relay device 10 supports communication between the medical data relay device 10 or the plurality of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn and the remote network service 14 via a secure transport path, in particular HTTPS or MQTT with TLS.

The medical data relay device 10 supports encrypted communication between the medical data relay device 10 or the plurality of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn using a preshared symmetric key or a public/private key. Moreover, each virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn has an identifier to the dedicated implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn and to the remote network service 14.

Depending on the configuration, the medical data relay device 10 establishes a connection with a central remote network service 14 (e.g. in Berlin) or a decentralized remote network service (e.g. China, where the medical data must not leave the country). Fleet management via a fleet management subsystem 28 (e.g. software updates, configuration changes) of the medical data relay device 10 is performed via a dedicated logical communication channel.

The controller 16 of the medical data relay device 10 takes care of the creation, deletion, configuration and synchronization of the virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn. How the virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn are operated depends on the configuration of the hardware and software. It is conceivable that each virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn runs on its own hardware area with its own CPU and memory. However, this method is expensive and significantly limits the number of virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn within the medical data relay device 10. Preferably, all virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn share the available processors and memory. Each virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn has its own logical memory area (the virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn runs in a separate process or in its own virtual environment). In the simplest case, all existing virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn run on a single processor.

When the medical data relay device 10 is started, it always generates at least one virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn. A medical data relay device 10 with only one virtual relay device Rl corresponds functionally exactly to a classical patient device for forwarding messages between the remote network service 14 and the implantable medical device IMD1 (1-1 relationship implant/patient device). Once a virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn has been created after the medical data relay device 10 has been put into operation, the medical data relay device 10 scans all available implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn in the vicinity via the first interface 18 that have not yet established a connection with other patient devices and are therefore in pairing mode.

This process is repeated at regular intervals or event-based (command from remote network service 14 or from patient device) regardless of the established connections. However, the feature of regular scanning can also be disabled (remotely by remote network service 14, locally by user or preconfigured maximum number of connections).

A virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn is created for each available implant. If only one implantable medical device IMD1 was found in the paring mode, no further virtual relay device R2...Rn is generated. If more than one implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn was found in pairing mode, then the same number of virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rns will be created within the medical data relay device 10. The medical data relay device 10 assigns an implant to each virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn with which it is to establish a connection. The procedure of unpairing or pairing the virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn and the implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn is not described further, as it is generally known. Each virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn behaves functionally exactly like a conventional patient device. It can receive messages from the respective implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn (event-based and status-based) and forward them to the remote network service 14. It can also receive messages from the remote network service 14 and forward them to the respective implant. The controller 16 of the medical data relay device 10 has no knowledge of the messages that a virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn forwards.

Virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rns among themselves also operate in a non-reactive manner. This means that one virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn cannot functionally affect another virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn. A virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn cannot access memory outside its process (sandbox principle).

If a medical data relay device 10 has generated x virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn because there is a communication with x implantable medical devices IMD1, IMD2...IMDn, then a third interface 24 in the remote network service 14 sees exactly x+1 communication partners (one medical data relay device 10 to manage the device, x virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn to forward the messages).

The virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rns do not necessarily have to have the same software and/or configuration. It is possible that a subcutaneous ICD requires a different software in the virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn than a cardiac monitor (this includes support for a specific transmission protocol such as BLE or MICS). Depending on the implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn to be connected to, the medical data relay device 10 can generate the appropriate virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn.

The implantable medical devices IMD1, IMD2...IMDn are usually configured at the factory or during implantation to establish a connection with the medical data relay device 10 around midnight. The reason for this is that when the patient is sleeping, he or she is close to the medical data relay device 10, which is on the bedside table or lying on it, and the message can therefore be transmitted safely. To prevent all implants from exchanging messages with the virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn at the same time, each virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn is configured by the controller 16 of the medical data relay device 10 to agree with the implant on different times to exchange status messages. This ensures that not all virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rns access the shared HW/SW resources at the same. For cost reasons, all virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rns share the same interfaces to the implantable medical devices IMD1, IMD2...IMDn and the remote network service 14.

Further details of the implant communication system 1 in Fig. 1 are given in the description below for Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of a computer-implemented method for operating a relay device for relaying messages between an implantable medical device and a remote network service according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

The method comprises instantiating SI and configuring S2 at least one virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn by means of a controller 16.

Furthermore, the method comprises the at least one virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn communicating S3 with a dedicated implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn via a first interface 18 and communicating S4 with the remote network service 14, in particular directly or via a cloud server 20, via a second interface 22.

The system 1 comprises a remote network service 14, at least one implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn, and a medical data relay device 10 shown in Fig. 1 configured to communicate, in particular bidirectionally, between the at least one implantable medical device IMD1, IMD2...IMDn and the remote network service 14.

The remote network service 14 can be divided into two functional subsystems. One subsystem (a fleet management subsystem 28) is responsible for fleet management, i.e. for a fleet of implantable medical devices IMD1, IMD2...IMDn. This subsystem communicates with the medical data relay device 10 via the dedicated logical communication channel, but has no logical connection with the one or more virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn. The other subsystem is a web portal 26 or website where a physician can access the data acquired from the plurality of implantable medical devices IMD1, IMD2...IMDn in the remote network service 14.

Alternatively, it is also possible for the fleet management subsystem 28 to communicate directly with the one or more virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn. In this case, software or firmware updates and configurations can be done directly through the virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn without the help of the controller 16 of the medical data relay device 10.

However, an advantage of communicating with the medical data relay device 10 is that the controller 16 of the medical data relay device 10 is configured to synchronize its software and the software of the virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn with a version rolled out by the remote network service 14.

Status messages for logging, etc., can be collected by the controller 16 of the medical data relay device 10 from the virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn and transmitted directly to a third interface 24 of the remote network service 14 via the second interface 22 of the medical data relay device 10.

Alternatively, the status messages for logging, etc. may be transmitted from the virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn directly to the third interface 24 of the remote network service 14 via the second interface 22 of the medical data relay device 10.

If the medical data relay device 10 receives a software update from the remote network service 14, the controller 16 checks whether the virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn also need to be reconfigured or updated. When the virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn receive a software update, the controller 16 of the medical data relay device 10 ensures that a virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn again contain the connection information to the respective dedicated implantable medical devices IMD1, IMD2...IMDn as they did prior to the software update.

All virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn communicate with the remote network service 14 via the second interface 22. The communication of the virtual relay devices Rl, R2...Rn with the remote network service 14 is also done via a dedicated logical communication channel. For this purpose, each virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn is addressed by the remote network service 14 via URL, IP or other means of unique network addressing.

Each virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn has its own logical communication channel with the remote network service 14 and its own network addressing. The controller 16 of the medical data relay device 10 ensures that only one virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn at a time can access the shared hardware/ software resources (e.g., via the first interface 18 and the second interface 22). However, a virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn can use the second interface 22, for example, if a particular virtual relay device Rl, R2...Rn only blocks the third interface 24.

Preferably, the web portal 26 or website where physician can access the data acquired from the plurality of implantable medical devices IMD1, IMD2...IMDn in the remote network service 14 does not need to know whether the medical data relay device 10 is a classical patient device with a one-to-one relationship (patient device - implant) or a medical data relay device 10 with a 1-n relationship (patient device - implant).

Reference Signs

1 implant communication system

10 medical data relay device 14 remote network service

16 controller

18 first interface

20 cloud server

22 second interface 24 third interface

26 web portal

28 fleet management subsystem

IMD1, IMD2...IMDn implantable medical device(s)

Rl, R2...Rn virtual relay device(s) S1 - S4 method steps

Claims

1. Medical data relay device (10) for relaying messages between an implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) and a remote network service (14), comprising: a controller (16) configured to instantiate and configure at least one virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn); and the at least one virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn) configured to communicate with a dedicated implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) via a first interface (18) and with the remote network service (14), in particular directly or via a cloud server (20), via a second interface (22).

2. Medical data relay device (10) of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn), wherein a first virtual relay device (Rl) is configured to communicate via the first interface (18) with a first implantable medical device (IMD1), and wherein a second virtual relay device (R2) is configured to communicate via the first interface (18) with a second implantable medical device (IMD2).

3. Medical data relay device (10) of claim 2, wherein the controller (16) is configured to assign respective time slots to each virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn) for communicating with its dedicated implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) via the first interface (18), wherein the first interface (18) supports MICS-band and Bluetooth low energy communication.

4. Medical data relay device (10) of claim 2 or 3, wherein each of the plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) is configured to receive instant messages from its dedicated implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn), wherein the first interface (18), upon receipt of the instant message from the implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) is configured to message the controller (16) to activate the virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn) dedicated to the implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) sending the instant message.

5. Medical data relay device (10) of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein each of the plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) is configured to receive interrogation on demand and/or remote scheduling messages from the remote network service (14), wherein upon receipt of the on demand and/or remote scheduling message, the respective virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn) is configured to message the controller (16) to control the first interface (18) to enable communication from the respective virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn) to the dedicated implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn).

6. Medical data relay device (10) of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein each of the plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) runs on at least one dedicated processor and memory area or wherein all of the plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) share at least one processor and memory area with each virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn) being a different process or wherein the plurality virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) run on at least one a common processor and memory area in different virtual machines.

7. Medical data relay device (10) of any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the medical data relay device (10) and the plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) are each accessible via a different URL or IP-address, and wherein the medical data relay device (10) and the plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) each have logically separate communication channels to the remote network service (14).

8. Medical data relay device (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller (16) is configured to perform firmware updates for the plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) received from the remote network service (14).

9. Medical data relay device (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the medical data relay device (10) supports communication between the medical data relay device (10) or the plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) and the remote network service (14) via a secure transport path, in particular HTTPS or MQTT with TLS.

10. Medical data relay device (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the medical data relay device (10) supports encrypted communication between the medical data relay device (10) or the plurality of virtual relay devices (Rl, R2...Rn) using a preshared symmetric key or a public/private key.

11. Medical data relay device (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn) has an identifier to the dedicated implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) and to the remote network service (14).

12. Computer-implemented method for operating a medical data relay device (10) for relaying messages between an implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) and a remote network service (14), comprising the steps of: instantiating (SI) and configuring (S2) at least one virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn) by means of a controller (16); and the at least one virtual relay device (Rl, R2...Rn) communicating (S3) with a dedicated implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) via a first interface (18) and communicating (S4) with the remote network service (14), in particular directly or via a cloud server (20), via a second interface (22).

13. Implant communication system (1), comprising: a remote network service (14); at least one implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn); and a medical data relay device (10) of any one of claims 1 to 12 configured to communicate, in particular bidirectionally, between the at least one implantable medical device (IMD1, IMD2...IMDn) and the remote network service (14).

14. Computer program with program code to perform the method of claim 12 when the computer program is executed on a computer.

15. Computer-readable data carrier containing program code of a computer program for performing the method of claim 12 when the computer program is executed on a computer.