System and method for processing directly-collected normalized voice feedback for use in automated patient care

Abstract

A system and method for transacting an automated patient communications session is described. A patent health condition is monitored by regularly collecting physiological measures through an implantable medical device. A patient communications session is activated through a patient communications interface, including an implantable microphone and an implantable speaker in response to a patient-provided activation code. An identification of the patient is authenticated based on pre-defined uniquely identifying patient characteristics. Spoken patient information is received through the implantable microphone and verbal system information is played through the implantable speaker. The patient communications session is terminated by closing the patient communications interface. The physiological measures and the spoken patient information are sent.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A system for processing directly-collected normalized voice feedback for use in automated patient care, comprising:
 a database storing patient care records with each record containing one or more physiological measures relating to individual patient information and one or more quality of life measures relating to normalized spoken patient self-assessment indicators, each quality of life measure recorded substantially contemporaneous to the physiological measures through an implantable microphone; and   an analysis module analyzing the physiological measures and the contemporaneously recorded quality of life measures retrieved from one such patient care record to determine a patient status.   
     
     
         21 . A system according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a medical device having a sensor for monitoring and recording the physiological measures from an anatomical site at least one of directly and derivatively.   
     
     
         22 . A system according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 at least one further sensor monitoring and recording the physiological measures from an anatomical site unique from the anatomical site monitored by any other such sensor; and   the analysis module determining the patient status by comparing physiological measures retrieved from one such patient care record for a plurality of sensors.   
     
     
         23 . A system according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 the database storing patient care records with each record containing physiological measures from sensors monitoring a plurality of anatomical sites within the individual patient; and   the analysis module analyzing the physiological measures from one such patient care record relative to each anatomical site.   
     
     
         24 . A system according to  claim 20 , the remote client further comprising:
 a feedback device interfacing and processing the quality of life measures from the individual patient.   
     
     
         25 . A system according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a audio prompter generating voice prompts; and   an implantable speaker playing the voice prompts.   
     
     
         26 . A method for processing directly-collected normalized voice feedback for use in automated patient care, comprising:
 retrieving one or more physiological measures relating to individual patient information and one or more quality of life measures relating to normalized spoken patient self-assessment indicators from a patient care record, each quality of life measure recorded substantially contemporaneous to the physiological measures through an implantable microphone; and   analyzing the physiological measures and the contemporaneously recorded quality of life measures retrieved from one such patient care record to determine a patient status.   
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , further comprising:
 obtaining the physiological measures from a medical device having a sensor for monitoring the physiological measures from an anatomical site at least one of directly and derivatively.   
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 obtaining the physiological measures monitored by at least one further sensor monitoring the physiological measures from an anatomical site unique from the anatomical site monitored by any other such sensor; and   determining the patient status by comparing physiological measures retrieved from one such patient care record for a plurality of sensors.   
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 26 , further comprising:
 receiving the physiological measures from sensors monitoring a plurality of anatomical sites within the individual patient from a patient care record; and   analyzing the physiological measures relative to each anatomical site.   
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 26 , the remote client further comprising:
 interfacing and processing the quality of life measures from the individual patient.   
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 26 , further comprising:
 generating voice prompts; and   playing the voice prompts on an implantable speaker.   
     
     
         32 . A computer-readable storage medium for a device holding code for performing the method according to  claim 26 . 
     
     
         33 - 49 . (canceled)