System and method for communicating over a network with a medical device

Abstract

A device is provided for connecting a medical apparatus to a network. The device collects data from the medical apparatus and performs a variety of processing functions, such as trending, protocol translation, generating reports, etc. related to the collected data. The device then transmits the collected data over a network to interested parties. In some implementations, the device can transmit the collected data as an email message.

1 . A device for connecting a medical apparatus to a network, the device comprising:
 a first port for physically connecting the device to the medical apparatus;   a second port for connecting the device to the network;   a data storage system for storing medical data received from the physically connected medical apparatus; and   a computer system configured to:
 receive an email message including a request for medical data associated with the physically connected medical apparatus; 
 transmit the request to the physically connected medical apparatus;
 receive medical data from the physically connected medical apparatus using a first protocol; 
 
 store the received medical data for future analysis; 
 format the received medical data for transmission using a second protocol; 
 generate a report related to the received medical data; and 
 generate an email message comprising the received medical data. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system generates an applet for viewing the received medical data and transmits the applet along with the email message including the received medical data to the network. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second port is connected to a different network and the medical data is received from the physically connected medical apparatus and transmitted to the second network without reconfiguring the physically connected medical apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system further performs trending on the received medical data. 
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method of communicating with a network device over a network, the method comprising:
 generating a first email message including a request for medical data;   transmitting the first email message over the network to the network device;   receiving data over the network from the network device, the data comprising a second email message including the requested medical data and an applet for displaying the requested medical data; and   outputting the requested medical data for display using the applet;   wherein the network device is physically connected to a medical apparatus and the network device generates the second email message including the requested medical data and the applet for viewing the requested medical data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the network device further generates reports related to the requested medical data and performs trending analysis on the requested medical data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the network device is located within a medical institution. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the medical institution includes a firewall. 
     
     
         9 . A device for connecting a ventilator to a network, the device comprising:
 a first port for physically connecting the device to the ventilator;   a second port for connecting the device to the network;   a data storage system for storing medical data received from the physically connected ventilator; and   a computer system configured to:
 receive an email message including a request for medical data associated with the physically connected ventilator; 
 transmit the request to the physically connected ventilator; 
 receive medical data from the physically connected ventilator using a first protocol; 
 store the received medical data for future analysis; 
 format the received medical data for transmission using a second protocol; 
 generate a report related to the received medical data; and 
 generate an email message comprising the received medical data. 
   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the computer system generates an applet for viewing the received medical data and transmits the applet along with the email message including the received medical data to the network.