Personal digital assistant or organizer for monitoring glucose levels

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a personal health organizer that enables patients and healthcare personnel to manage health data. The personal health organizer can be a portable device adapted to receive physiological reading data from a health data collection device or derive reading data from signals acquired by a sensor, or a software module/platform for performing same that is configured to be executed on a general purpose computing device such as a mobile phone/computer. The personal health organizer integrates reading data with applications that assist and promote health management, including reminders, alerts and health data tracking. The reading data obtained can be forwarded to healthcare providers so they can provide feedback such as alerts and diagnoses to the user. The personal health organizer can also support electronic medical record integration via networked computing so that locally stored medical data are automatically synchronized with remotely stored medical data records.

1 . A physiological data collection device for measuring and communicating physiological data at the point of measurement, the device comprising:
 a display for displaying information to a user;   a physiological data collection component comprising a sensor configured to non-invasively and optically measure physiological reading data indicative of a blood glucose level of a patient;   a data storage storing a data communication module and a plurality of communication preferences relating to transmission of the physiological reading data; and   a processor configured to execute the data communication module,   wherein the data communication module is configured to receive the physiological reading data and cause the physiological reading data to be transmitted to a remote device in accordance with the communication preferences.   
     
     
         2 . The physiological data collection device of  claim 1  wherein the data communication module is configured to cause the physiological reading data to be transmitted via email automatically upon the completion of a measurement taken of the patient. 
     
     
         3 . The physiological data collection device of  claim 2  wherein the stored communication preferences include one or more of:
 preferences related to email format; 
 preferences related to email content; and 
 preferences related to health data disclosure permission. 
 
     
     
         4 . The physiological data collection device of  claim 1  wherein the communication preferences include preferences input by the user at the point of measurement. 
     
     
         5 . The physiological data collection device of  claim 1  wherein the communication preferences include default preferences based on health regulations. 
     
     
         6 . A personal health organizer device for assisting a patient in managing medical data, the device comprising:
 a display for displaying information to a user;   a data storage storing a personal health organizer module and medical data of a user, the medical data including medical history of the user;   a processor configured to execute the personal health organizer module; and   an interface adapted to receive physiological reading data from a health data collection device,   wherein the personal health organizer module is configured to:
 retrieve the medical data of the user from the data storage; 
 instruct the processor to analyze the physiological reading data using the retrieved medical data of the user to determine if an alert condition is met; and 
 if an alert condition is met, instruct the processor to perform one or more of the following: 
 generate a health alert based on the physiological reading data; 
 update a medical appointment calendar; and 
 initiate a prescription re-fill process. 
   
     
     
         7 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 6 , wherein personal health organizer module further comprises a medical data analysis module configured to instruct the processor to obtain one or more of the following from the physiological reading data from the health data collection device:
 a pre-prandial or post-prandial peak glucose level;   a mean glucose level for a pre-determined period;   a correlation between a hemoglobin A1c and a glucose level over a pre-determined period; and   a glycemic index calculation.   
     
     
         8 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 7 , wherein the health alert is generated when the physiological reading data indicates that a blood glucose level is below or above a pre-determined threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 7 , wherein the medical data analysis module is further configured to instruct the processor to calculate an appropriate amount of insulin coverage based on the physiological reading data. 
     
     
         10 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 7 , wherein the medical data analysis module is further configured to instruct the processor to calculate a trend of the physiological reading data as correlated to the medical data, the medical data further comprising user activities input by the user into the device. 
     
     
         11 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a gaming module configured to utilize the physiological reading data in customizing gaming content displayed to the user. 
 
     
     
         12 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a medical information module configured to: 
 determine a medical need of the user by utilizing the physiological reading data and the medical data; 
 retrieve rankings of a medical providers for the medical need of the user or reviews of medical products for the medical need of the user; and 
 cause the display to show the rankings or reviews to the user. 
 
     
     
         13 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 6 , wherein the physiological reading data comprises one or more of the following:
 a blood glucose level reading;   a total hemoglobin reading;   an SpO2 reading;   a methemoglobin reading; and   a carboxyhemoglobin reading.   
     
     
         14 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 6 , wherein the health data collection device is a non-invasive health data collection device. 
     
     
         15 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 6  wherein the personal health organizer module is configured to submit a re-imbursement request to after it initiates the prescription re-fill process. 
     
     
         16 . A personal health organizer device for receiving, analyzing and integrating medical data, the device comprising:
 a display for displaying information to a user;   a data storage storing a personal health organizer module and medical data of a user, the medical data including medical history of the user;   a processor configured to execute the personal health organizer module; and   an interface adapted to receive physiological reading data from a health data collection device,   wherein the personal health organizer module further comprises an electronic medical data integration module configured to instruct the processor to send the physiological reading data and medical data related to the physiological reading data to a remote medical data server via the interface so that medical records for the user stored in the remote medical data server are synchronized with the physiological reading data and the medical data stored on the personal health organizer device.   
     
     
         17 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 16  wherein the related medical data comprises one of more of the following:
 medical data previously downloaded onto the personal health organizer device from the remote medical data server and stored in the storage; and 
 medical data previously input by the user into the personal health organizer device and stored in the storage. 
 
     
     
         18 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 16  wherein the related medical data comprises one or more of the following:
 prescription data; 
 diagnosis data; 
 user activity data; 
 medication intake data; 
 food intake data; 
 calendar data including medical appointment data; and 
 medical insurance data. 
 
     
     
         19 . The personal health organizer device of  claim 18  wherein the prescription data is sent when a physiological reading data indicates that the user may require an optometrist appointment. 
     
     
         20 . A computer-implemented method for integrating medical data records, comprising:
 receiving a signal at a sensor of a health data collection device;   processing the received signal to derive physiological reading data;   storing the physiological reading data in a storage of a personal health organizer, the storage further configured to store medical data related to the physiological reading data; and   forwarding the physiological reading data and the related medical data to a remote entity,   wherein the method is performed in one or more computer processors.   
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20  wherein the processing further comprises one or more of the following:
 using the physiological reading data to customize content provided by the personal health organizer; and 
 generating a personalized health recommendation or reminder based on the physiological reading data. 
 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20  wherein the forwarding further comprises one or more of the following:
 synchronizing medical records kept at a centralized medical data storage with the forwarded physiological reading data and related medical data; 
 generating an alert to a healthcare provider; and 
 synchronizing medical records kept at a healthcare provider with the forwarded physiological reading data and related medical data. 
 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20  further comprising:
 receiving, at the personal health organizer, feedback from a healthcare provider, the feedback including a diagnosis based on the forwarded physiological reading data and related medical data. 
 
     
     
         24 . A computer readable medium having a computer executable personal health organizer module for analyzing and integrating medical data, the personal health organizer module comprising:
 a medical data input module configured to receive physiological reading data from a health data collection device or derive reading data from signal received from a sensor;   an electronic medical data integration module configured to send the physiological reading data to a remote entity via a network;   a medical data analysis module configured to analyze the reading data based on medical data stored in a storage of a general purpose computing device and update the medical data based on the result of the analysis; and   a network computing support module configured to synchronize medical data stored at the remote entity with the medical data that is stored in the storage of the general purpose computing device,   wherein the personal health organizer module is executable on the general purpose computing device.   
     
     
         25 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24  wherein the medical data comprises one or more of the following:
 prescription data; 
 diagnosis data; 
 user activity data; 
 medication intake data; 
 food intake data; 
 calendar data including medical appointment data; and 
 medical insurance data. 
 
     
     
         26 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24  wherein the medical data analysis module is configured to calculate a trend in the physiological reading data and provide the calculated trend for display on the general purpose computing device. 
     
     
         27 . The computer readable medium of  claim 26  wherein the general purpose computing device further comprises an accelerometer and wherein the calculated trend is displayed in a display mode selected based on an orientation of the computing device as measured by the accelerometer. 
     
     
         28 . The computer readable medium of  claim 26  wherein the general purpose computing device further comprises a GPS receiver component and wherein the medical data analysis module is configured to use the GPS receiver component to locate a nearby healthcare provider when the medical data analysis module determines the physiological reading data meets a pre-determined threshold. 
     
     
         29 . The computer readable medium of  claim 28  wherein the medical data analysis module is further configured to trigger an alert to a emergency medical service (EMS) and use the GPS receiver component to provide a location of the general purpose computing device to the alerted EMS when the medical data analysis module determines that the physiological reading data is indicative of a condition that needs immediate medical attention. 
     
     
         30 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24  wherein the medical data analysis module is further configured to obtain one or more of the following from the reading data:
 a pre-prandial or post-prandial peak glucose level; 
 a mean glucose level for a pre-determined period; 
 a correlation between a hemoglobin A1c and a glucose level over a pre-determined period; and 
 a glycemic index calculation. 
 
     
     
         31 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24  wherein the personal health organizer module further comprises one or more of the following:
 a gaming module configured to customize gaming content based on the physiological reading data; 
 a medical information and education module configured to customize health educational content based on the physiological reading data; and 
 a device security module. 
 
     
     
         32 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31  wherein the medical information and education module further comprises a gestational diabetes module configured to provide pregnancy related information that is customized based on the physiological reading data. 
     
     
         33 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31  wherein the medical information and education module further comprises a nurse educational module configured to:
 provide customized medical information to a user based on the reading data; and 
 enable a medical personnel to access the physiological reading data so that the medical personnel can provide a medical diagnosis or advice to the user through a message sent to the general computing device. 
 
     
     
         34 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31  wherein the general purpose computing device further comprises a camera and the device security module uses the camera to capture biometric characteristics of a user and use the biometric characteristics to restrict access to the personal health organizer module. 
     
     
         35 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31  wherein the device security module uses a sensor associated with the health data collection device to capture biometric identification data of a user and use the biometric identification data to restrict access to the personal health organizer module. 
     
     
         36 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24  wherein the remote entity comprising a healthcare provider. 
     
     
         37 . The computer readable medium of  claim 36  wherein the medical data stored in the general computing device comprises one of more of the following:
 medical data previously downloaded onto the general purpose computer device from the remote entity; and 
 medical data previously input by a user into the general purpose computer device. 
 
     
     
         38 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24  wherein the physiological reading data comprises one or more of the following:
 a blood glucose level reading; 
 a total hemoglobin reading; 
 an SpO2 reading; 
 a methemoglobin reading; and 
 a carboxyhemoglobin reading. 
 
     
     
         39 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24  wherein the general purpose computing device is a mobile computing device. 
     
     
         40 . The computer readable medium of  claim 39  wherein the mobile computing device is the iPhone manufactured by Apple Incorporated.