System and method for tracking medical device usage

Abstract

A system provides medical device data to a system user. The medical device data is provided as an icon indicating compliance or non-compliance by the medical device user in connection with a predetermined set of usage criteria. Compliance is calculated based on usage data that is provided by the medical device. The system user may select one of the icons so as to have the system generate a compliance report. The compliance report may then be transmitted to a reimbursing entity.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving medical device usage data for a plurality of medical device users;   storing the usage data;   determining, with a processor, whether the plurality of medical device users are compliant, wherein compliance is based on whether the received medical device usage data satisfies predetermined usage criteria;   receiving a request for compliance data for one or more of the medical device users; and   transmitting a compliance indication for each of the one or more medical device users, wherein the compliance indications are based on whether the one or more medical device users have been determined to be compliant.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a signal that one of the compliance indications has been selected by a user; and   transmitting a compliance report for the medical device user corresponding to the selected compliance indication, wherein the compliance report comprises usage data for the medical device user over a predetermined time period, and wherein the predetermined time period corresponds to the predetermined usage criteria.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a flow generator used for respiratory therapy. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving updated medical device usage data for at least one of the plurality of medical device users;   determining, with a processor, whether the at least one medical device user is compliant, wherein compliance is based on whether the updated usage data satisfies the predetermined usage criteria; and   dynamically updating the compliance indication for the at least one medical device user.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the compliance indication is a selectable icon. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the compliance report is of a format that allows a reimbursing entity to accept the report as verification of compliance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the compliance report contains a graphical indication of compliance. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for managing medical device usage data comprising:
 a memory configured to store medical usage data;   a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to:   receive medical device usage data for a plurality of medical device users;   determine whether the plurality of medical device users are compliant, wherein compliance is based on whether the received medical device usage data satisfies predetermined usage criteria;   receive a request for compliance data for one or more of the medical device users; and   transmit a compliance indication for each of the one or more medical device users, wherein the compliance indications are based on whether the one or more medical device users have been determined to be compliant.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a signal that one of the compliance indications has been selected by a user; and   transmit a compliance report for the medical device user corresponding to the compliance indication, wherein the compliance report contains usage data for the medical device user over a predetermined time period, wherein the predetermined time period corresponds to the predetermined usage criteria.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the medical device is a flow generator used for ventilation therapy. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the received medical device usage data for each of the plurality of medical device users includes a device identifier, wherein the memory is further configured to store received device identifiers and wherein the processor is further configured to associate the medical device usage data with a medical device user based on received device identifiers. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive updated medical device usage data for at least one of the plurality of medical device users;   determine whether the at least one medical device user is compliant, wherein compliance is based on whether the updated usage data satisfies predetermined usage criteria; and   dynamically update the compliance indication for the at least one medical device user.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the compliance indications are transmitted so as to be displayed as selectable icons. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the compliance report is of a format that allows a reimbursing entity to accept the compliance report as verification of compliance. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the compliance report contains a graphical indication of compliance. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 accessing a website for medical compliance information;   selecting, on the website, one or more medical device users for which compliance information is sought; and   receiving a compliance indication for each of the one or more selected medical device users, wherein the compliance indications vary depending on whether the one or more medical device users have been determined to be compliant, based on medical device usage data and a predetermined usage criteria.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 selecting one of the received compliance indications; and   receiving a compliance report for the medical device user corresponding to the selected compliance indication, wherein the compliance report contains usage data for the medical device user over a predetermined time period corresponding to the predetermined usage criteria.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving a dynamically updated compliance indication for at least one selected medical device user, wherein the updated compliance indication is based on updated medical usage data of the at least one selected medical device user.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the compliance indications are displayed as selectable icons. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the compliance report is of a format that allows a reimbursing entity to accept the compliance report as verification of compliance. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the compliance report is one of a word processing file and a PDF. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 selecting a set of medical device users for which a compliance report is sought; 
 receiving compliance reports for one or more of the medical device users from the set of medical device users; and 
 transmitting the received compliance reports to a reimbursing entity.