Implantable medical device programming apparatus having a graphical user interface

Abstract

Systems and methods for a configurable programmer for an implantable cardiovascular medical device are disclosed. A preferred embodiment comprises a graphical user interface to visualize programming processes to alert a clinician to potential problems with the patient's condition or the therapy provided by the device, or the device itself. The programmer is further adapted to minimize the risk of programming potentially dangerous changes to the implantable device's parameter settings by requiring the clinician to first review new value changes before initiating the programming step. The programmer also allows the clinician to view how a change to one or more parameter settings affect other settings before the implantable device is programmed or re-programmed.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an external programmer configured to interface with an implantable medical device, the programmer comprising:
 a communication module configured to communicate with the implantable medical device; and 
 a graphical user interface configured to communicate information to a user, the graphical user interface configured to display over time:
 one or more patient clinical or therapeutic events; and 
 one or more user-editable notes entered into the graphical user interface, wherein each of the one or more user-editable notes is associated with a particular time along with a listing of one or more implantable medical device parameters in effect at that particular time. 
 
   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display a management screen configured to receive proposed programming changes initiated by a clinician. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the clinician-initiated proposed programming changes include a suite of parameters including A-Tachy Response, A-Flutter Response, Ventricular Rate Regulation, ProACt, and A-Pacing Preference, the management screen including a one-touch feature configured to set all parameters in the suite with actuation of the one-touch feature. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display, in response to and after all clinician-initiated proposed changes have been received in the management screen from the clinician, in a proposed changes screen different from the management screen, a summary of the clinician-initiated proposed changes to the programming of the implantable medical device, the clinician-initiated proposed changes shown on the proposed changes screen in visual correspondence with corresponding previously-existing parameter values, the proposed changes screen configured to require clinician review of the clinician-initiated proposed new parameter values and to allow clinician correction of the clinician-initiated proposed new parameter values before the clinician-initiated proposed new parameter values are implemented. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the listing of the parameters includes a listing of one or more programming changes made at the particular time with which each of the one or more user-editable notes is associated. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more user-editable notes is associated with at least one of the one or more patient clinical or therapeutic events. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display over time a wellness indicator. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the wellness indicator includes at least one of Activity Level and Exercise Intensity. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display an alert summary screen to alert a user of one or more clinical or therapeutic events, wherein the alert summary screen of the graphical user interface includes one or more alerts including different colors or different symbols configured to prioritize the one or more alerts. 
   
   
       10 . A method comprising:
 communicating, using a communication module, with an implantable medical device;   displaying on a graphical user interface one or more patient clinical or therapeutic events over time; and   displaying on the graphical user interface one or more user-editable notes entered into the graphical user interface, wherein each of the one or more user-editable notes is associated with a particular time along with a listing of one or more implantable medical device parameters in effect at that particular time.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising obtaining in a management screen of the graphical user interface proposed programming changes of the implantable medical device from a clinician using an external programmer. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein obtaining proposed programming changes includes obtaining clinician-initiated proposed programming changes including a suite of parameters including A-Tachy Response, A-Flutter Response, Ventricular Rate Regulation, ProACt, and A-Pacing Preference, the management screen including a one-touch feature configured to set all parameters in the suite with actuation of the one-touch feature. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising displaying on the graphical user interface in a proposed changes screen different from the management screen, in response to the proposed programming changes initiated by the clinician and after all proposed programming is complete, a summary of the clinician-initiated proposed changes to the programming of the implantable medical device, the clinician-initiated proposed changes shown on the proposed changes screen in visual correspondence with corresponding previously-existing parameter values. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising requiring clinician review of the proposed new clinician-initiated proposed parameter values and allowing clinician correction of the proposed new clinician-initiated proposed parameter values before the clinician-initiated proposed new parameter values are implemented. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein displaying the listing of the parameters includes displaying a listing of one or more programming changes made at the particular time with which each of the one or more user-editable notes is associated. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein displaying the one or more user-editable notes includes displaying at least one of the one or more user-editable notes associated with at least one of the one or more patient clinical or therapeutic events. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising displaying on the graphical user interface a wellness indicator over time. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising displaying on the graphical user interface an alert summary screen to alert a user of one or more clinical or therapeutic events, wherein displaying the alert summary screen includes prioritizing one or more alerts using at least one of different colors or different symbols. 
   
   
       19 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for communicating with an implantable medical device;   means for displaying one or more patient clinical or therapeutic events over time and one or more user-editable notes entered into the graphical user interface, wherein each of the one or more user-editable notes is associated with a particular time along with a listing of one or more implantable medical device parameters in effect at that particular time.   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , comprising:
 means for obtaining in a management screen clinician-initiated proposed programming changes of the implantable medical device, wherein the clinician-initiated proposed programming changes include a suite of parameters including A-Tachy Response, A-Flutter Response, Ventricular Rate Regulation, ProACt, and A-Pacing Preference, the management screen including a one-touch feature configured to set all parameters in the suite with actuation of the one-touch feature;   means for displaying in a proposed changes screen different from the management screen, in response to the clinician-initiated proposed programming changes and after all proposed programming is complete, a summary of the clinician-initiated proposed changes to the programming of the implantable medical device, the clinician-initiated proposed changes shown on the proposed changes screen in visual correspondence with corresponding previously-existing parameter values; and   means for clinician review and correction of the proposed new clinician-initiated proposed parameter values before the clinician-initiated proposed new parameter values are implemented.