Medical event logbook system and method

Abstract

An event-based approach to collecting and organizing information associated with events affecting respiration is presented. The detection or prediction of an event affecting the respiration of a patient initiates acquisition of information associated with the event. The respiratory logbook system acquires information with the event during the event and during intervals proximate in time to the event. The information is organized as a respiratory log entry. The user can access the information by operating a user interface. The information may be presented in textual or graphical form.

1 . A method for organizing medical information, comprising: 
 detecting or predicting a respiratory event of a patient;    initiating, responsive to the detection or prediction of the respiratory event, collection of medical information associated with the respiratory event;    collecting the medical information associated with the respiratory event; and    organizing the medical information as a respiratory event log entry, wherein at least one of detecting or predicting, initiating, collecting, and organizing is performed at least in part implantably.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein collecting the medical information associated with the respiratory event comprises collecting the medical information during the respiratory event.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein collecting the medical information associated with the respiratory event comprises collecting the medical information proximate in time to the respiratory event.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of detecting or predicting the respiratory event, initiating the collecting of medical information, collecting the medical information, and organizing the medical information is performed at least in part implantably.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting or predicting the respiratory event comprises detecting or predicting the respiratory event based on physiological conditions affecting the patient.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting or predicting the respiratory event comprises detecting or predicting the respiratory event based on non-physiological conditions affecting the patient.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting or predicting the respiratory event comprises detecting or predicting a disordered breathing event.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting or predicting the respiratory event comprises detecting or predicting a presence of a non-rhythm pulmonary disease.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein collecting the medical information associated with the respiratory event comprises collecting respiratory information.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein collecting the medical information associated with the respiratory event comprises collecting cardiac information.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein organizing the information as the respiratory log entry comprises organizing the information as one of a group of respiratory log entries of a respiratory logbook.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the group of respiratory log entries are organized chronologically.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the group of respiratory log entries are organized by event type.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the organized information.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting at least one of the collected information and the organized information.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the organized information.  
   
   
       17 . A respiratory event logbook system, comprising: 
 an event detector configured to detect or predict a respiratory event affecting the patient;    a data acquisition unit, coupled to the event detector, and configured to collect medical information associated with the respiratory event responsive to the detection or prediction of the respiratory event; and    a processor, coupled to the data acquisition unit, and configured to organize the collected medical information associated with the respiratory event as a respiratory event log entry, wherein at least one of the event detector, the data acquisition unit, and the processor includes an implantable component.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the event detector, the data acquisition unit, and the processor comprises an implantable component.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the respiratory event comprises a disordered breathing event.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the respiratory event comprises a non-rhythm pulmonary event.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the medical information comprises respiratory information.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the medical information comprises cardiac information.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the data acquisition unit comprises a temporary buffer configured to temporarily store the a portion of the medical information associated with the respiratory event; and    further comprising a memory configured for long term storage of the medical information associated with the respiratory event.    
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to organize medical information associated with a plurality of respiratory events as a respiratory event logbook.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising a user interface coupled to the processor and configured to provide access to the respiratory event logbook.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the user interface comprises a display configured to display information associated with the plurality of respiratory events.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the user interface comprises an input mechanism configured to select one or more of the plurality of respiratory events.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the user interface is configured to display a menu of one or more of the plurality of respiratory events.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein: 
 the processor is configured to generate summary information associated with one or more of the plurality of respiratory events; and    the user interface is configured to display the summary information.    
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the user interface is configured to display graphical information.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the user interface is configured to display textual information.  
   
   
       32 . A system for organizing information associated with respiratory events, comprising: 
 means for detecting or predicting a respiratory event of the patient;    means for initiating, responsive to the detection or prediction of the respiratory event, collection of medical information associated with the respiratory event;    means for collecting the medical information associated with the respiratory event; and    means for organizing the collected medical information as a respiratory event log entry, wherein at least one of the means for detecting, the means for predicting, the means for initiating, the means for collecting, and the means for organizing includes an implantable component.    
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising means for collecting the medical information during the respiratory event.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising means for collecting the medical information proximate in time to the respiratory event.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising means for detecting or predicting a disordered breathing event.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising means for detecting or predicting a presence of a non-rhythm pulmonary disease.  
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising means for organizing the information as one of a group of respiratory log entries of a respiratory logbook.  
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 37 , further comprising means for accessing the respiratory logbook.