Method and system for rehabilitating a medical condition across multiple dimensions

Abstract

A rehabilitation plan for an individual with a medical condition is selected in view of physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions of the individual that can impact successful use of an instrument for treating the medical condition. Measurement results obtained from assessments of respective physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions of the individual are used to define respective diagnostics metrics, and also to generate diagnostic and goal scores for the respective metrics. A rehabilitation plan for the individual is selected in view of the diagnostic and goal scores with the intention of increasing an individual's compatibility with the plan and the likelihood of success for rehabilitation. The selection of a rehabilitation plan can include querying a database including previously prescribed rehabilitation plans indexed by physical and personal environment dimensions characteristics of respective patients that were prescribed the rehabilitation plans.

1 . A method for selecting a rehabilitation plan for an individual having a medical condition comprising: 
 assessing personal environment dimensions and physical dimensions of an individual having a medical condition to obtain measurement information;    defining diagnostic metrics corresponding to the respective assessed dimensions based on the measurement information;    generating scores for the individual for the respective metrics based on the measurement information; and    selecting a rehabilitation plan for the individual using the score corresponding to at least a first of the assessed dimensions of the individual.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the selecting further comprises: 
 searching a database containing rehabilitation plans for the medical condition, wherein the database includes, for respective physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions associated with the medical condition, scores corresponding to respective stored rehabilitation plans, and    matching the score for the at least first assessed dimension for the individual with a score in the database corresponding to a stored rehabilitation plan associated with the at least first assessed dimension, wherein the matched rehabilitation plan is selected as a rehabilitation plan for the individual.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generated scores and the scores in the database each comprise at least one of a diagnostic score and a goal score and the stored rehabilitation plans comprise previously prescribed rehabilitation plans and, optionally, interpolated rehabilitation plans.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the measurement information for the assessed dimensions of the individual includes profile information.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the measurement information for the assessed dimensions of the individual includes profile information and wherein the database includes, for the respective physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions, profile information corresponding to the stored rehabilitation plans that correspond to the respective scores, and wherein the database further includes annotation information for at least one of the stored rehabilitation plans.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 updating the database based on feedback received from the individual for which the rehabilitation plan was selected.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 selecting an instrument for use in rehabilitating the individual based on the selected rehabilitation plan.    
   
   
       8 . A method for selecting an aural rehabilitation plan for an individual with hearing loss comprising: 
 assessing personal environment dimensions and physical dimensions of an individual with hearing loss to obtain measurement information;    defining diagnostic metrics corresponding to the respective assessed dimensions based on the measurement information;    generating scores for the individual for the respective metrics based on the measurement information; and    selecting an aural rehabilitation plan for the individual using the score corresponding to at least a first of the assessed dimensions of the individual.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the selecting further comprises: 
 searching a hearing loss rehabilitation plan database, wherein the database includes, for respective physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions associated with hearing loss, scores corresponding to respective stored aural rehabilitation plans, and    matching the score for the at least first of the assessed dimensions for the individual with a score in the database corresponding to a stored aural rehabilitation plan associated with the at least first assessed dimension, wherein the matched aural rehabilitation plan is selected as an aural rehabilitation plan for the individual.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the defining the diagnostic metrics includes normalizing the measurement information obtained for each of the assessed dimensions into a linear scale signal metric, wherein the generated scores and the scores in the database each comprise at least one of a diagnostic score and a goal score and wherein the stored aural rehabilitation plans comprise previously prescribed aural rehabilitation plans and, optionally, interpolated aural rehabilitation plans.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the measurement information for the assessed dimensions of the individual includes profile information, wherein the database includes, for the respective physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions, profile information corresponding to the aural rehabilitation plans that correspond to the respective scores and wherein the database further includes annotation information for at least one of the stored rehabilitation plans.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the personal environment dimensions associated with hearing loss include at least two of speech intelligibility, real world needs, critical success factors, localization, appearance/performance trade-offs and quality preferences.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 selecting a programmable hearing aid for use in rehabilitating the individual based on the selected rehabilitation plan.    
   
   
       14 . A system for selecting a rehabilitation plan for an individual having a medical comprising: 
 a rehabilitation plan selection means having communications capabilities, wherein the selection means includes a rehabilitation plan database containing, for respective physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions associated with a medical condition, scores corresponding to respective stored rehabilitation plans; and    wherein the selection means, in response to a selection request including a score corresponding to at least a first of assessed physical and personal environment dimensions of a individual having the medical condition, selects a rehabilitation plan for the individual by matching the score for the first assessed dimension of the individual with a score in the database corresponding to a stored rehabilitation plan associated with the at least first assessed dimension, wherein the matched rehabilitation plan is selected as a rehabilitation plan for the individual.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a dimensions assessment means having communications capabilities and for coupling to the selection means, wherein the assessment means includes programs for assessing at least one of physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions of the individual requestor to obtain measurement information,    wherein metrics corresponding to the respective assessed dimensions can be defined and scores for the respective metrics can be generated for the individual based on the measurement information, and    wherein the assessment means is operable to transmit the selection request to the selection means.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the generated scores and the scores in the database each comprise at least one of a diagnostic score and a goal score, wherein the stored rehabilitation plans comprise previously prescribed rehabilitation plans and, optionally, interpolated rehabilitation plans, and wherein the database further includes annotation information for at least one of the stored rehabilitation plans.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the selection means updates the database based on feedback or rehabilitative progress results concerning the individual requestor for whom the rehabilitation plan was selected.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the selection means, based on the score of the requestor for the at least first assessed dimension, identifies an instrument for use in conjunction with the selected rehabilitation plan.  
   
   
       19 . A system for selecting an aural rehabilitation plan for an individual having hearing loss comprising: 
 an aural rehabilitation plan selections means having communications capabilities, wherein the selection means includes an aural rehabilitation plan database containing, for respective physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions associated with hearing loss, scores corresponding to respective stored aural rehabilitation plans; and    wherein the selection means, in response to a selection request including a score corresponding to at least a first assessed physical and personal environment dimension of an individual having hearing loss, selects an aural rehabilitation plan for the individual by matching the score for the first assessed dimension of the individual with a score in the database corresponding to a stored aural rehabilitation plan associated with the at least first assessed dimension, wherein the matched rehabilitation plan is selected as the aural rehabilitation plan for the individual.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 a dimensions assessment means having communications capabilities and for coupling to the selection means, wherein the assessment means includes programs for assessing at least one of physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions of the individual requestor to obtain measurement information,    wherein metrics corresponding to the respective dimensions can be defined and scores for the respective metrics can be generated for the individual based on the measurement information,    wherein the assessment means is operable to transmit the selection request to the selection means, and    wherein the database further includes annotation information for at least one of the stored rehabilitation plans.    
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the assessed personal environment dimensions of the individual with hearing loss includes at least two of speech intelligibility, real-world needs, critical success factors, localization, appearance and performance trade-offs and quality preferences.  
   
   
       22 . A system for selecting a rehabilitation plan for an individual with a medical condition comprising a database accessible via communication means, wherein the database includes individual profiles, diagnostics scores, goal scores and annotation information corresponding to respective previously prescribed rehabilitation plans for respective physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions of an individual with the medical condition, wherein the database is searchable for matching individual profiles, diagnostic scores and goal scores associated with at least a first of assessed physical dimensions and personal environment dimensions of an individual to profiles, diagnostic scores and goals scores that correspond to respective previously prescribed rehabilitation plans for the at least first assessed dimension, wherein the corresponding rehabilitation plan is selected as a rehabilitation plan for the requester.