Systems and methods employing remote data gathering and monitoring for diagnosing, staging, and treatment of parkinsons disease, movement and neurological disorders, and chronic pain

Abstract

This disclosure relates to early diagnosis and assessment tools for Parkinson's disease, movement disorder, neurological disease, and/or chronic pain, designed to drive innovation and to accelerate best Parkinson's disease, movement disorders, neurological disease, and chronic pain research. The present disclosure facilitates improved access to Parkinson's disease, movement disorders, neurological disease, and chronic pain patients along with innovative data capture methods that are designed to leading to improved therapies and assisting in finding a cure for Parkinson's disease, movement disorders, neurological diseases, and/or chronic pain. In addition the present disclosure is broadly applicable as a diagnosis and assessment tool to all movement disorders and many neurological diseases and/or chronic pain.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for remote data gathering, monitoring, baseline staging, and treatment of Parkinson's disease comprising one or more remote interfaces being operatively connected to a remote data center via a data transmission means. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the one or more remote interfaces provide a portal to an application server at the remote data center. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the one or more remote interfaces is selected from the group consisting of: a patient interface, a healthcare provider interface, a physician interface, a researcher interface, an insurer interface, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the data transmission means is selected from the group consisting of: an Internet connection, a wide area network, a local area network, a wireless network, a cellular telephone, a satellite, a personal area network, a telephone dial up interface, analog signals, digital signals, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the remote patient interface further comprises:
 a means for performing one or more suites of tests; and 
 a means for transmitting the results of the suites of tests to the application server. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the physician remote interface further comprises:
 a means for adding and removing a patient from the system; 
 a means for managing passwords and access privileges; 
 a means for accessing data collected from the one or more suites of tests 
 a means for generating reports based upon the data collected from the one or more suites of tests; and 
 a means for constructing a specific suite of tests. 
 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the healthcare provider remote interface further comprises:
 a means for limited access to a patient's data; and 
 a means for administering the one or more suites of tests to one or more patients. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the researcher remote interface further comprises:
 a means for accessing data collected from the one or more suites of tests; 
 a means for generating reports based upon the data collected from the one or more suites of tests; and 
 a means for aggregating quantities of data from multiple patients based upon specific criteria. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the insurer remote interface further comprises:
 a means for sending and receiving billing information; 
 a means for paying bills; and 
 a means for processing insurance claims. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the remote data center further comprises:
 a means for authenticating users of the system; 
 a means for maintaining user information via a web server; 
 a means for administering the one or more suites of tests via the application server; 
 a means for creating a database of results from the one or more suites of tests via a database server; and 
 a means for generating reports based upon the data collected from the one or more suites of tests via the application server. 
 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the web server further comprises: a means for uploading patient data to the remote data center. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , that further comprises at least one remotely located patient device, wherein the patient device comprises a touch input screen, wherein the patient device interfaces with a data collection modality, wherein the data collection modality is at least one of a video capture device, a kinematic orientation/motion tracker, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an attitude sensor, a global positioning system, a temperature monitor, a blood pressure monitor, a biometric security device, an electrocardiography (EKG/ECG) sensor, or an electroencephalography (EEG) sensor, and
 a data center comprising one or more servers comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program logic encoded thereon, wherein the computer program logic comprises instructions for:   receiving patient data from the patient device, wherein the received patient data comprises motion capture data comprising motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease;   identifying a sequence of medically related tests for monitoring Parkinson's disease based at least on the data collection modality that interfaces with the patient device, wherein the sequence of medically related tests comprises a test from a Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale;   wherein the sequence of medically related tests comprises a task to test abstract thinking;   transmitting to the patient device at least one of the sequence of medically related tests for monitoring Parkinson's disease; and   analyzing results of the at least one of the sequence of medically related tests to generate a baseline measurement that can be used to longitudinally track changes in Parkinson's disease.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer program logic further comprises instructions for administering the at least one of the sequence of medically related tests to a patient, wherein the results of the at least one of the sequence of medically related tests administered to the patient is received from the patient device to track a progression of Parkinson's disease; and 
     
     
         14 . optionally determining whether any additional tests should be transmitted to the patient device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data center further comprises a web server comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program logic encoded thereon, wherein the computer program logic comprises instructions for maintaining profiles and information of users of the system, wherein users of the system comprise at least one of a patient, a healthcare provider, a physician, a researcher, a fiduciary, or an insurer. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data center further comprises: a database server comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program logic encoded thereon, wherein the computer program logic comprises instructions for storing a database of results from an administered sequence of medically related tests. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data center further comprises an application server comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program logic encoded thereon, wherein the computer program logic comprises instructions for transmitting the sequence of medically related tests to the patient device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data center comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program logic encoded thereon, wherein the computer program logic comprises instructions for receiving the patient data in raw data format and processing the received raw data. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data center comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program logic encoded thereon, wherein the computer program logic comprises instructions for receiving processed patient data. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of medically related tests comprises a cognitive test. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data center comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program logic encoded thereon, wherein the computer program logic comprises instructions for communicating with the patient device, a healthcare provider device, a physician device, a researcher device, or an insurer device.