GB2507812A

GB2507812A - Monitoring medical activity of a patient

Info

Publication number: GB2507812A
Application number: GB1220385.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Bourne
Original assignee: HEALTHQUEST SOLUTIONS Ltd
Current assignee: HEALTHQUEST SOLUTIONS Ltd
Priority date: 2012-11-13
Filing date: 2012-11-13
Publication date: 2014-05-14
Also published as: GB201220385D0

Abstract

A system for monitoring medical activity of a patient comprises having a patient-held medical activity input device 22 (e.g. mobile telephone) into which patient specific data associated with the medical activity is input (e.g. administration of a drug(s), measurement of a physical metric such as blood pressure, blood sugar reading), and stored in a patient record, where the patient record is monitored to determine whether a significant event occurs, and an alert is generated in response to the detection of a significant event such as failure to take medicine. The alert may be sent directly to a doctor or other medical professional. A patient specific container (Figs 3-8) may be provided to house the medical activity input device. The patient specific container may be a patient bag adapted to hold patient necessities. The system may also include a patient identity device containing patient display information. Embodiments of the invention are particularly applicable to the remote monitoring of the medical activity of a patient following a care plan for a chronic illness. One application of the invention is the monitoring of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD).

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MONITORING MEDICAL ACTIVITY OF A PATIENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to monitoring medical activity of a patient.

Embodiments of the invention are particularly applicable to the remote monitoring of the medical activity of a patient following a care plan for a chronic illness. One application of the invention is the monitoring of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD).

BACKGROUND

There is a need for effective support of patients having chronic conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Such patients are typically provided with a care plan by their doctor that specifies the dosage and timing of medication to be administered to the patient. Typically after a period of time has elapsed, the patient and doctor review the operation of the care plan and the health of the patient.

The invention seeks to provide a new system and method of monitoring medical activity of a patient. The invention supports self-management of a chronic condition by a patient.

Typically such patients have a range of medication to which they need access on a regular basis or on an emergency basis. In addition, they may need to carry information for example relating to the chronic condition or to the management of the chronic condition with them either for themselves or for regular or emergency carers such as paramedics.

The invention seeks to provide a patient specific container, for example a patient bag, which is adapted to contain different elements required by the patient to manage their chronic condition.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided a system monitoring medical activity of a patient, the system including: a patient-held medical activity input device into which patient specific data associated with the medical activity is input; a record store, which in use is arranged to hold a respective patient medical activity record for a patient being monitored; a record manager, arranged to receive patient specific data associated with the medical activity of the patient from the medical activity input device and to update the respective patient medical activity record in the record store in response to the received patient specific data; and a detector, which is coupled to the record store and arranged to analyse a patient medical activity record, the detector being adapted to determine whether a significant event has occurred in the patient medical activity record, and to generate an alert in response to the occurrence of a significant event.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of monitoring medical activity of a patient, including the steps of: providing a patient with a patient-held medical activity input device adapted for the input of patient specific data associated with the medical activity; receiving patient specific data associated with the medical activity of the patient from the medic?l activity input device; updating a respective patient medical activity record in a record store in response to the received patient specific data; analysing a patient medical activity record to determine whether a significant event has occurred in the patient medical activity record; and generating an alert in response to the occurrence of a significant event.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a monitoring system in accordance with embodiments of the invention; Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method of monitoring medical activity in accordance with embodiments of the invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary patient held container with the lid closed; Figure 4 is a front view of the exemplary patient held container with the lid closed; Figure 5 is a side view of the exemplary patient held container with the lid closed; Figure 6 is a view from above of the exemplary patient held container with the lid open; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the exemplary patient held container with the lid open; Figure 8 is a side view of the exemplary patient held container with the lid open; Figure 9 shows an exemplary arrangement of a patient held portion of the monitoring system; Figure 10 shows an exemplary arrangement of a monitor portion of the monitoring system; Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary arrangement of a patient held portion of the monitoring system; and Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary arrangement of a monitoring system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments of the invention enable monitoring of the medical activity of a patient.

In this description the term "medical activity" is intended to refer to many types of medical interaction. In some embodiments, for example, the medical activity may be the administration of medicament to the patient, exemplified by but not limited to the administration of steroids or anti-inflammatory drugs or inhaled drugs. In some cases, this administration of medicament may be in accordance with a care plan for the patient that has been prescribed by a doctor: in other cases the administration of medicament may occur as a result of an emergency, for example the administration of asthma drugs as a result of an asthma attack.

In other embodiments the medical activity may be the measurement of a physical metric of the patient, exemplified by but not limited to the taking of a blood pressure reading, or taking of a blood sugar reading, or taking of an International Normalised Ratio of prothrombin time (INR) to determine the ability of the blood to clot.

In embodiments of the invention, the medical activity is generally patient managed, in the sense that the patient is administering medicament themselves, or is taking measurements of a physical metric themselves. Persons other than the patient may perform the activity in some situations, for example if the patient is disabled, but this medical activity is considered to be patient managed activity if the person performing the medical activity is merely carrying out and recording the medical activity, for example in accordance with a care plan, and is not making medical decisions regarding the medical activity.

Typically the medical activity might be performed in accordance with a care plan set by doctor or other medical professional. The care plan may be for example a detailed medicament dosage administration regime or merely an instruction to check a physical metric, for example blood pressure level or INR level or blood sugar level, at certain times or time intervals.

Embodiments of the invention enable the patient managed medical activity to be recorded and monitored, for example in order to determine that a care plan is being followed, or to monitor improvement or deterioration in the condition of a patient or to anticipate health issues arising in the future, If a problem is identified during the monitoring of the medical activity, an alert may be generated to allow early review and intervention by a doctor or other medical staff.

It is known that the care of some patients, for example patients with a chronic condition, may involve a review of the condition of the patient and the efficacy of the care plan by the doctor or other medical staff at the end of a review period. Even if no alert is generated during the review period, the recording of the medical activity enables a doctor to quickly gain an accurate view of the medical activity of a patient.

As a result in some embodiments a faster review of chronic condition management can be achieved.

Embodiments of the invention may be used to enable management of chronic illnesses, exemplified by but not limited to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, and to allow doctor-led monitoring of a patient's self-management, for example in maintaining an appropriate blood sugar level in diabetes management.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a system monitoring medical activity of a patient in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

In the eemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, a patient-held medical activity input device 2 is provided which captures patient specific data 4 associated with the medical activity. In some embodiments the patient specific data 4 associated with the medical activity may be a patient metric reading, or a date and time for an administration of a medicament, for example. In addition, in some embodiments it may be possible for the patient to add codes or text to the patient specific data 4 associated with the medical activity that is captured by the patient-held medical activity input device 2.

A patient medical activity record 6 for a patient being monitored is held in a record store 8. In the exemplary embodiment, the record store 8 is a database, and the patient medical activity record 6 is stored as a database record, although other methods of storing the patient medical activity record 6 may be envisaged as will be understood by a skilled person.

A record manager 10 is provided, which in use is coupled to the medical activity input device 2 to receive patient specific data 4. The record manager 10 is also coupled to record store 8 to access to the record store 8. In the exemplary embodiment, the record manager 10 operates to create and to maintain the patient medical activity record 6 in the record store 8.

The record manager 10 receives patient specific data 4 associated with the medical activity of the patient from the medical activity input device 2 and updates the respective patient medical activity record 6 in the record store 8 in response to the received patient specific data 4. In some embodiments, the record manager 10 updates the patient medical activity record 6 in the record store 5 in response to the received patient specific data 4 in accordance with operator prescribed criteria 12.

Since the operator prescribed criteria may not be necessary in all embodiments, the operator criteria 12 are shown in dashed lines in Figure 1.

A detector 14 is provided, which is coupled to the record store 8 in order to access the patient medical activity record 6. In use the detector 14 is arranged to analyse a patient medical activity record 6 to determine whether a significant event has occurred in the patient medical activity record 6. The detector 14 generates an alert in response to the occurrence of a significant event.

In some embodiments a patient care plan record 18 that stores data relating to the care plan for the patient is provided and is accessible to the detector 14. In such embodiments, the detector 14 may use the data in the patient care plan record 18 in order to determine whether a significant event has occurred. The patient care plan record 18 is shown in Figure 1 stored in a care plan stole 20. However, in different embodiments it may be stored in the record store 8 or in some other store accessible by the detector 14.

Now, in some embodiments, the medical activity input device 2, the record manager 10, the record store 8 and the detector 14 may be implemented in a patient held device. In such an embodiment, the alert 16 generated by the detector 14 will be transmitted remotely, for example by means of a mobile communication system (not shown in the Figures), for attention by a doctor or medical professional.

However, typically the system would be implemented with a patient held portion 22, which generally accompanies the patient and includes the medical activity input device 2, and a monitor portion 24, which generally is at a location remote from the patient and includes the record manager 10, record store 8 and the detector 14. In such a system, the patient specific data 4 may be transferred from the patient held medical activity input device 2 in the patient held portion 22 to the record manager of the monitor portion 24 by means of a communication system, for example a mobile communication network (not shown in the Figures).

In such an embodiment, the alert 16 generated by the detector 14 may be sent directly to a doctor or other medical professional or may be transmitted remotely, for example by means of a mobile communication network (not shown in the Figures), for attention by a doctor or medical professional.

Figure 2 shows an exemplary method of monitoring medical activity of a patient in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

In a first step 30, the patient is provided with a patient held medical activity input device.

In step 32, patient specific data associated with the medical activity is received. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, this step is performed by the record manager 10. Typically, the patient specific data associated with the medical activity may be sent from the medical activity input device 2 in a patient held portion 22 to the record manager 10 in a monitor portion 24 using a communication network.

In step 34, the patient medical activity record is updated. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, this step is performed by the record manager 10 updating the patient medical activity record 6 in the record store 8.

In step 36, the patient medical record is analysed and it is determined whether a significant event has occurred. In embodiments of the invention a significant event may be one or more of the following: a patient triggered alert, a predicted patient specific event; a failure to administer a predefined dosage of medicament; a failure to detect administration of a predefined dosage of medicament within a predefined time interval; and a failure to record administration of a predefined dosage of medicament within a predefined time interval, In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, this step is taken by the detector 14.

If a significant event has not occurred, step 38-n, the method returns to step 32 to receive further patient specific data. Clearly, it is not necessary in every embodiment to analyse the patient record to determine whether a significant has occurred only after each update of the patient medical activity record, and in some embodiments the determination in step 36 may be initiated after a certain elapse of time or in accordance with other criteria as may seem appropriate to a skilled person.

If, however, a significant event is detected, step 38-y, the method proceeds to step in which an alert is generated.

In some embodiments, a patient specific container may be provided, which may be adapted to hold the medical activity input device 2. In some embodiments, the patient specific container may be a patient bag, as will be discussed in more detail with reference to Figures 3-8.

As will be understood by a skilled person, in embodiments of the invention the patient specific container may contain all the different requirements of the patient held portion of the monitoring system. In particular, the container may be arranged to bold required medicament and/or a medical device. In some embodiments the containeu may have one or more of the following features: being waterproof; being thermally insulated; having a closable lid; being padded or cushioned. The patient specific container may have a distinctive appearance for example in the colours selected for the container, or may be adapted so as to be seen in low light levels to ensure that the patient specific container and the patient held portion of the monitoring system are easily identifiable.

In some embodiments, the patient specific container is provided with a location device, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for example. Location information from the location device can be passed to the medical activity input device 2 to form part of the patient specific data associated with a medical activity.

In some embodiments the patient specific container is provided with a support for receiving a patient identity device to display patient information.

Figures 3-8 show a patient held bag in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

The following features of the exemplary embodiment of the patient held bag are shown in Figures 3-8: Carrying handle 46: soft foam handle with finger indents Webbing strap 48: sturdy, strong and durable Pull tab 50: for quick and easy access Velcro clasp 50: secure and reliable Zipped lid entry 52: a zip around the lid prevents any loose items spilling out Foam padding 54: cushions contents against knocks Outer fabric 56: Cordura (Trade Mark) nylon is waterproof, lightweight and resilient Interior lining 58: wipe-clean fabric High-visibility trim 60: Increases safety day or night Zip pocket 62: divided front pocket for emergency use Elasticated band 64: holds an Aerochamber Zipped mesh Pocket 66: mesh pocket with zip entry for added -security Exterior zipped pockets 68: for medication General storage 70: for inhalers, nebules or capsules, an Aerochamber and personal items.

-Elasticated mesh pocket 72: to hold inhalers, nebuliser and capsules or other medical devices Medication Diary 74: plastic wallet to hold appointment cards, record book etc. Self management Plan 76: plastic wallet with Velcro entry Oxygen alert card 78: outside access ID window with Velcro closure tab As will be appreciated, a skilled person may select from the above list of features of the exemplary patient specific container in accordance with different requirements for the patient specific container.

Figures 9-12 are schematic drawings of elements of a monitoring system in accordance with embodiments of the invention. These different arrangements may be selected in any combination with the elements of Figure 1 and Figures 3-8 as will be apparent to a skilled person. In order to aid clarity, elements in Figure 9-12 having the same or similar function as elements in Figure 1 have been given the same reference numerals.

Figure 9 shows an exemplary arrangement of a patient held portion 22. The medical activity input device 2 is provided with a data input section 82 that is arranged to capture patient specific data associated with the patient-managed medical activity of the patient.

The data input 82 may include at least one user interface 84 selected from the group comprising: a human-machine-interface; a push-button; a keyboard; a voice recognition system. Thus patient specific data relating to the medical activity can be captured from the patient.

In addition or alternatively, in embodiments in which a delivery device 86 provided in the patient held portion 22 is adapted to notify the medical activity input device of delivery of medicament, it may be possible for the data input 82 to include a receiver 88 for receiving a signal from the delivery device 86 for example confirming the delivery of a dose of medicament. In some embodiments this signal may be transferred wirelessly using any suitable technology.

Additionally, in embodiments in which the patient held portion 22 is remote from the monitor portion 24 of the monitoring system a communication portion 90 may be provided that is arranged to send patient specific data 4 to the record manager 10 of the monitor portion 24.

Typically, the communication portion 90 of the medical activity input device 2 is arranged to send patient specific data 4 associated with the patient-managed medical activity of the patient to the record manager 10 across a communication network (not shown).

Figure 10 shows an exemplary arrangement of a monitor portion 24. The monitor portion is provided with a communication device 92 for communicating a generated alert to a suitable person, such as the doctor in charge of care of the patient. The communication device 92 may be a mobile telephone, pager or other wireless device arranged to transmit an alert via a communication system.

Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary arrangement of a patient held portion 22. A local patient record 96 may be provided, which is coupled to the medical activity input device 2 for storing patient specific data associated with the medical activity. In some embodiments, the local patient record 96 may be implemented in a way that it is readable by a local record reader (not shown). This could be used by paramedics responding to an emergency situation to establish the medical activity of the patient for example.

A patient identity device 98 containing patient display information may also be provided. In some arrangements the patient identity device 98 may be a simple identity card that can be displayed in the patient specific container as discussed above. In other embodiments the patient identity device 98 is an electronic card, capable of recording and storing data in a machine readable form.

In some embodiments, the patient identity device 98 includes the local patient record 96 for storing patient specific data associated with the medical activity. In some embodiments, the patient identity device 98 includes a display and a battery and in input means.

Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary arrangement of a monitoring system. In this system, a patient copy of the care plan for the patient is held in the patient held portion 22 and the patient copy of the care plan may be updated.

In this embodiment the patient held portion 22 is provided with a care plan device which holds a care plan 102. Typically, the patient or other user may view the care plan 102, for example by means or a display (not shown).

The monitor portion 24 is provided with a care plan update manager 104, which is coupled to the care plan device 100 in order to send care plan update information 106. The care plan update manager 100 is also coupled to one or more of the record store 8, to access the patient medical activity record 6; the detector 14; a medical professional update 108; and the care plan store 20 to access the patient care plan record 18 (only shown in Figure 1). In this embodiment of the invention the care plan update manager transmits care plan updates 106 to the patient held care plan device 102.

Thus it can be seen that the present invention provides a new method of and system monitoring medical activity of a patient.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A system monitoring medical activity of a patient, the system including: a patient-held medical activity input device into which patient specific data associated with the medical activity is input; a record store, which in use is arranged to hold a respective patient medical activity record for a patient being monitored; a record manager, arranged to receive patient specific data associated with the medical activity of the patient from the medical activity input device and to update the respective patient medical activity record in the record store in response to the received patient specific data; and a detector, which is coupled to the record store and arranged to analyse a patient medical activity record, the detector being adapted to determine whether a significant event has occurred in the patient medical activity record, and to generate an alert in response to the occurrence of a significant event.
2. The system according to claim I comprising a patient held portion and a monitor portion, wherein the patient held portion includes at least the medical activity input device and the monitor portion includes at least the record store, the record manager and the detector.
3. The system according to claims 1 or 2, in which the record manager updates the patient medical activity record in the record store in response to the received patient specific data in accordance with operator prescribed criteria.
4. The system according to any preceding claim, in which the medical activity includes the taking by the patient of a dosage of medicament.
5. The system according to any preceding claim, in which the medical activity includes the measurement of a physical metric of the patient.
6. The system according to any preceding claim in which the medical activity input device has a data input arranged to capture patient specific data associated with the patient-managed medical activity of the patient.
7. The system according to any preceding claim, further including a delivery device adapted to notify the medical activity input device of delivery of medicament.
8. The system according to claim 7 when dependent on claim 6, wherein the data input includes a receiver for receiving a signal from the delivery device.
9. The system according to any claim dependent on claim 6 in which the data input comprises at least one user interface selected from the group comprising: a human-machine-interface; a push-button; a keyboard; a voice recognition system.
1O.The system according to any preceding claim further comprising a communication portion arranged to send patient specific data to the record manager.
11.The system according to claim 10 in which the communication portion of the medical activity input device is arranged to send patient specific data associated with the patient-managed medical activity of the patient to the record manager across a communication network.
12.The system according to any preceding claim wherein the significant event includes at least one from the group comprising: a patient triggered alert, a predicted patient specific event; a failure to administer a predefined dosage of medicament; a failure to detect administration of a predefined dosage of medicament within a predefined time interval; and a failure to record administration of a predefined dosage of medicament within a predefined time interval.
13. The system according to any preceding claim further including a local patient record coupled to the medical activity input device for storing patient specific data associated with the medical activity.
14.The system according to any preceding claim including a patient identity device containing display patient information.
15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the patient identity device is an identity card.
16. The system according to claim 14 or 15 wherein the patient identity device is an electronic card, capable of recording and sthring data in a machine readable form.
17.The system as claimed in one of claims 14-16 in which the patient identity device includes the local patient record for storing patient specific data associated with the medical activity.
18.The system according to claim 17 wherein the patient identity device includes a display and a battery and in input means.
19.The system according to any preceding claim includes a patient specific container.
20.The system according to claims 19 when dependent on one of claims 14-18 wherein the patient specific container has a support for receiving the patient identity device so that the patient identity device is supported so as to display patient information.
21.The system as claimed in claim 19 or 20 in which the patient specific container is adapted to accommodate the medical activity input device.
22.The system according to any of claims 19-21 wherein the container has a location device coupled to the medical activity input device to supply location information to the medical activity input device for inclusion in the patient specific data.
23.The system according to any of claims 19-22 wherein the container is waterproof.
24.The system according to any of claims 19-23 wherein the container has a closable lid.
25. The system according to any of claims 19-24 wherein the container is cushioned.
26.The system according to any of claims 19-25 wherein the container is thermally insulated.
27. The system according to any of claims 19-26 wherein the container includes a plurality of compartments adapted to receive medicament.
28.The system according to any of claims 19-27 wherein the container is a distinctive colour.
29. The system according to any of claims 19-28 wherein the container is adapted to be seen in low light levels.
30. The system according to any preceding claim further including communication device such as a mobile telephone, pager or wireless device, wherein the alert is transmitted via the mobile communication device.
31.The system according to any preceding claim, further including a patient held care plan device for maintaining a patient held care plan; and a care plan update manager for transmitting care plan updates to the patient held care plan device.
32. The system as claimed in claim 31 in which the patient held care plan device is able to display part or all of a current care plan to a patient on a display device.
33.A method of monitoring medical activity of a patient, including the steps of: providing a patient with a patient-held medical activity input device adapted for the input of patient specific data associated with the medical activity; receiving patient specific data associated with the medical activity of the patient from the medical activity input device; updating a respective patient medical activity record in a record store in response to the received patient specific data; analysing a patient medical activity record to determine whether a significant event has occurred in the patient medical activity record; and generating an alert in response to the occurrence of a significant event.
34.The method as claimed in claim 33, further including the step of inputting patient specific data into the patient held medical activity input device.