Controlling access to a medical monitoring system

Abstract

Systems and techniques for remote medical monitoring. In one implementation, a method includes monitoring a first medical condition of an individual, the monitoring being initiated remotely by a monitoring service, receiving a query relating to a second medical condition of the individual, transmitting a response to the query to the monitoring service, receiving a prompt from the monitoring service, and transmitting a response to the prompt to the monitoring service. The query is received from the monitoring service. The prompt is designed to provoke a particular action.

1 . A method comprising: 
 monitoring a first medical condition of an individual, the monitoring being initiated remotely by a monitoring service;    receiving, from the monitoring service, a query relating to a second medical condition of the individual;    transmitting a response to the query to the monitoring service; and    receiving a prompt from the monitoring service, the prompt designed to provoke a predetermined action.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a response to the prompt to the monitoring service.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received prompt is designed to provoke the monitored individual to undertake the predetermined action.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the query comprises receiving a blood glucose query inquiring as to a blood glucose concentration of the individual.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the query comprises receiving a blood pressure query inquiring as to a blood pressure of the individual.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the query comprises receiving a weight query inquiring as to a weight of the individual.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a medication prompt designed to provoke the monitored individual to medicate.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a sample prompt designed to provoke the collection of a sample.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving an electrode check prompt designed to move the monitored individual to check an electrode.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a communications check prompt designed to move the monitored individual to ensure that communications with the monitoring service are maintained.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a battery check prompt designed to move the monitored individual to check a charge on the battery.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving a physical activity prompt designed to move the monitored individual to curtail or halt physical activity.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the prompt comprises receiving the prompt designed to move the monitored individual to lie down or sit down.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving input from the monitored individual; and    using the input in responding to the query.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein monitoring the first medical condition comprises monitoring cardiac function of the individual.  
   
   
       16 . An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more devices to perform operations comprising: 
 monitoring a medical condition of an individual;    transmitting a result of the monitoring to a monitoring service;    receiving an activity prompt from the monitoring service, the activity prompt relating an activity that is to be prompted;    prompting the activity related in the activity prompt; and    transmitting a response to the prompt to the monitoring service.    
   
   
       17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein prompting the activity comprises: 
 relaying the prompt to the monitored individual; and    receiving a response to the relayed prompt from the monitored individual.    
   
   
       18 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein prompting the activity comprises provoking collection of a sample.  
   
   
       19 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein provoking collection of the sample comprises provoking collection of the result of the monitoring.  
   
   
       20 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein prompting the activity comprises provoking the monitored individual to medicate with a specific medication.  
   
   
       21 . The article of  claim 20 , wherein provoking the monitored individual to medicate comprises provoking the monitored individual to medicate using a pharmaceutical composition having a specific color.  
   
   
       22 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a query from the monitoring service, the query relating to a second medical condition of the individual.  
   
   
       23 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise: 
 receiving adapted parameters for the monitoring of the medical condition of the individual; and    adapting the monitoring of the medical condition in accordance with the received parameters.    
   
   
       24 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein transmitting the response comprises transmitting the response without input from the monitored individual.  
   
   
       25 . A device comprising: 
 an electrocardiograph configured to remotely monitor cardiac function of an individual;    a receiver configured to receive a communication from a remote monitoring service;    an output device to relay the communication to the monitored individual;    an input device to receive an input responsive to the relayed communication from the monitored individual; and    a transmitter configured to transmit a response to the communication to the remote monitoring service, the response based at least in part on the input received from the monitored individual.    
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the receiver is to receive a query relating to a second medical condition of the individual.  
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein: 
 the output device is to display a query relating to a diabetic condition of the monitored individual; and    the input device is to receive an input relating to the diabetic condition.    
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the receiver is to receive a prompt designed to move the monitored individual to a particular action.  
   
   
       29 . A method comprising: 
 receiving a monitoring result from a remote monitoring device, the remote monitoring device remotely monitoring a first medical condition of an individual;    receiving, from the remote monitoring device, a response to one or more of a prompt to provoke a specific action and a query regarding a second medical condition of the individual; and    adapting the monitoring of the first medical condition of the individual by the remote monitoring device based on the received response.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein receiving the response comprises receiving a response to one or more of an individual-specific prompt and an individual-specific query tailored to the monitored individual.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising storing the monitoring result and the response.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein adapting the monitoring comprises transmitting adapted monitoring parameters to the remote monitoring device.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein transmitting the adapted monitoring parameters comprises transmitting adapted parameters for the identification of cardiac states to the remote monitoring device.  
   
   
       34 . A method of conducting a clinical trial, comprising: 
 remotely prompting an individual to medicate in accordance with a regimen of the clinical trial; and    remotely monitoring a cardiac function of the individual during the medication over a remote electrocardiographic monitoring device.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising receiving a response to the prompt indicating that the individual has indeed medicated in accordance with the clinical trial.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein prompting the individual to medicate comprising prompting the individual to take a specific pharmaceutical composition.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising determining the efficacy or safety of the prompted medication.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein remotely prompting the individual comprises remotely prompting the individual over the remote electrocardiographic monitoring device.  
   
   
       39 . A method performed at a central monitoring system, the method comprising: 
 receiving from a remote sensing device information related to a medical condition of a monitored individual associated with the remote sensing device; and    based at least in part on the received information, transmitting, to the remote sensing device, information designed to instruct the monitored individual.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting instructions to undertake a predetermined action.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to take medicine.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to contact a doctor.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to sit down.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to reduce altitude.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to reduce an activity level.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to measure one of blood pressure or glucose.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein transmitting the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises transmitting instructions to enter a response or other information for transmission back to the central monitoring system.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting information associated with the medical condition.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting information designed to confirm receipt of the received information.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting information associated with treatment of the medical condition.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein transmitting the information associated with treatment of the medical condition comprises transmitting an image of a medication to treat the medical condition.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting the information periodically.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein transmitting the information periodically comprises transmitting the information at periods that change between transmissions based on the received information.  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein transmitting the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises transmitting the information in response to an event identified in the received information.  
   
   
       55 . A method performed by a medical condition sensing device associated with a monitored individual, the method comprising: 
 measuring a physiological condition of the monitored individual;    transmitting the measured physiological condition to a central monitoring system; and    receiving from the central monitoring system information designed to instruct the monitored individual, the received information being based at least in part on the measured physiological condition.    
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving instructions to undertake a predetermined action.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to take medicine.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to contact a doctor.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to sit down.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to reduce altitude.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to reduce an activity level.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to measure one of blood pressure or glucose.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein receiving the instructions to undertake a predetermined action comprises receiving instructions to enter a response or other information for transmission back to the central monitoring system.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving information associated with the medical condition.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving information designed to confirm receipt of the received information.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving information associated with treatment of the medical condition.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein receiving the information associated with treatment of the medical condition comprises receiving an image of a medication to treat the medical condition.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving the information periodically.  
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein receiving the information periodically comprises receiving the information at periods that change between transmissions based at least in part on the transmitted physiological condition.  
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein receiving the information designed to instruct the monitored individual comprises receiving the information in response to an event identified in the transmitted physiological condition.