Remote monitoring system for ambulatory patients

Abstract

The monitoring device incorporates a memory device that is programmed with a set of question hierearchies. Each question hierarchy corresponds to a symptom and is composed of a set of questions. The question hierarchies may contain a logical structure so that certain questions will not be asked, depending upon a patient's answer to a preceeding question. A question hiearchy is invoked by a symptom identifier transmitted to the monitoring device by a remote computer. The remote computer may transmit a plurality of symptom identifiers to the monitoring device to cause the monitoring device to ask questions related to a plurality of symptoms. The set of symptoms inquired about may vary based upon the chronic disease afflicting the patient.

1 . A health care device for monitoring a health condition of an ambulatory patient, the device comprising:
 a display for presenting questions to the patient;   an input device permitting the patient to enter answers to the questions;   a read-only memory device, the read-only memory device storing a plurality of question hierarchies, each hierarchy of questions corresponding to each of a plurality of symptoms;   a communication device;   a microprocessor is programmed to
 receive a symptom identifier via the communication device; 
 based upon the symptom identifier, ask a first question from the hierarchy of questions corresponding to the symptom identified by the symptom identifier; 
 receive an answer to the first question via the input device; and 
 based upon the answer to the first question, make a decision regarding whether to ask a subsequent question from the hierarchy. 
   
     
     
         2 - 39 . (canceled)