Method and apparatus for communication between a handheld programmer and an implantable medical device

Abstract

Systems and methods for telemetric communication between a handheld programmer and an implantable medical device are disclosed. A preferred embodiment comprises a user-friendly, color, touch-sensitive screen that allows the user to visually observe and control the handheld's operation. The handheld further comprises an internal and/or external analytical means to provide robust analytical capabilities. Some embodiments of a system disclosed herein can be configured as a component of an Advanced Patient Management System that helps better monitor, predict and manage chronic diseases.

1 . A system comprising:
 an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device configured to be implanted in a patient; and   a local patient interface, communicatively coupled to the implantable medical device, the programmer configured to provide implantable medical device information locally to the patient, to locally program the implantable medical device using a local patient input, and to remotely program the implantable medical device using a remote clinician input.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the implantable medical device information includes an operational status of the implantable medical device. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the implantable medical device information includes patient diagnostic information received from the implantable medical device. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local patient interface is configured to provide the implantable medical device information locally to the patient in response to a patient-initiated interrogation. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local patient interface is configured to locally program the implantable medical device by receiving a patient-selected pre-set programming function. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local patient interface is configured to provide the implantable medical device information remotely to a clinician. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the local patient interface is configured to provide the implantable medical device information remotely to the clinician in response to a clinician-initiated interrogation. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local patient interface is configured to receive the remote clinician input using a network. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local patient interface is configured to remotely program the implantable medical device by receiving a clinician-selected pre-set programming function. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local patient interface is configured to transmit the implantable medical device information to a computer network accessible by a clinician. 
   
   
       11 . A method comprising:
 providing implantable medical device information locally to a patient using a local patient interface communicatively coupled to an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device configured to be implanted in the patient, and the local patient interface configured to locally program the implantable medical device using a local patient input; and   remotely programming the implantable medical device using a remote clinician input to the local patient interface.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the providing the implantable medical device information locally to the patient includes providing an operational status of the implantable medical device. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the providing the implantable medical device information locally to the patient includes providing patient diagnostic information received from the implantable medical device. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the providing the implantable medical device information locally to the patient includes in response to a patient-initiated interrogation. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the locally programming the implantable medical device includes receiving a patient-selected pre-set programming function. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , including providing the implantable medical device information remotely to a clinician. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the providing the implantable medical device information remotely to a clinician includes in response to a clinician-initiated interrogation. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the remotely programming the implantable medical device includes receiving the remote clinician input using a network. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the remotely programming the implantable medical device includes receiving a clinician-selected pre-set programming function. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 11 , including transmitting the implantable medical device information to a computer network using the local patient interface, wherein the computer network is accessible by a clinician.