Patient management system

Abstract

Methods and Systems implement patient management. In some cases, a patient management system may include one or more respiratory pressure therapy devices to deliver respiratory pressure therapy to patients, and generate therapy data relating to a therapy session for a patient. The patient management system may include a data server communicating with the therapy device(s). The data server may compute, from therapy data, therapy summary data for the session, the summary data may include one or more statistics summarising therapy data. The patient management system may include a therapy management server communicating with the data server. The therapy management server may apply one or more rules to the summary data, update or generate one or more workflow groups of patients, each workflow group corresponding to a rule, depending on results of the respective rule applications; and/or serve a graphical layout representing one or more workflow groups.

1 . A patient management system comprising:
 a data server in communication with a plurality of respiratory pressure therapy devices, wherein the respiratory pressure therapy devices are each configured to deliver respiratory pressure therapy to a patient and to generate therapy data relating to a session of respiratory pressure therapy provided to the patient, the data server being configured to:
 receive, from each of the plurality of respiratory pressure therapy devices, the therapy data; and 
 compute, from the therapy data, therapy summary data for the session, the therapy summary data comprising (a) one or more leak flow rates or one or more Apnea/Hypopnea Indices (AHI's) and (b) one or more usage times; and 
   a therapy management server in communication with the data server and a computing device, the therapy management server being configured to:
 receive, from the data server, the therapy summary data; 
 apply a plurality of rules to the therapy summary data, the plurality of rules comprising a first clinical rule and a compliance rule, the first clinical rule having a condition that compares the one or more leak flow rates or the one or more AHI's to a first predetermined threshold, the compliance rule having a condition that compares the one or more usage times to a predetermined compliance standard; 
 update a plurality of workflow groups of patients, each workflow group corresponding to one of the plurality of rules, depending on results of the respective rule applications, wherein updating the plurality of workflow groups comprises adding at least one of the patients to a workflow group of patients experiencing compliance difficulties; 
 in response to updating the plurality of workflow groups, send a notification for addressing the compliance difficulties; 
 serve to the computing device a first graphical layout comprising a selectable heading for each of the plurality of workflow groups; 
 receive a selection of the selectable heading for the workflow group of patients experiencing compliance difficulties via an interaction with the first graphical layout; and 
 in response to receiving the selection of the selectable heading, serve to the computing device a second graphical layout comprising details of one or more patients in the workflow group of patients experiencing compliance difficulties. 
   
     
     
         2 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the details of the one or more patients comprise a selectable name for each of the one or more patients. 
     
     
         3 . The patient management system according to  claim 2 , wherein the therapy management server is further configured to:
 receive a selection of any one of the selectable names via an interaction with the second graphical layout; and   in response to receiving the selection of the any one of the selectable names, serve to the computing device a corresponding patient menu comprising one or more options relating to the corresponding patient.   
     
     
         4 . The patient management system according to  claim 3 , wherein one option is a workflow history option, and the therapy management server is further configured to:
 receive a selection of the workflow history option via an interaction with the corresponding patient menu; and   in response to receiving the selection of the workflow history option, serve to the computing device a list of workflow groups to which the corresponding patient has previously been added.   
     
     
         5 . The patient management system according to  claim 4 , wherein each entry of the list comprises the name of a workflow group to which the corresponding patient has previously been added, and the date on which the corresponding patient was added to that workflow group. 
     
     
         6 . The patient management system according to according to  claim 2 , wherein the second graphical layout comprises a selectable checkbox positioned by each of the selectable names, and wherein the therapy management server is further configured to:
 receive a selection of any one of the selectable checkboxes via an interaction with the second graphical layout; and   in response to receiving the selection of the any one of the selectable checkboxes, remove the corresponding patient from the workflow group of patients experiencing compliance difficulties.   
     
     
         7 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein updating the plurality of workflow groups comprises adding a patient to a workflow group upon the condition of the respective rule being satisfied. 
     
     
         8 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the therapy management server is configured to send the notification to the at least one patient, and wherein the notification comprises educational or motivational content. 
     
     
         9 . The patient management system according to  claim 8 , wherein the notification prompts the at least one patient to meet the predetermined compliance standard. 
     
     
         10 . The patient management system according to  claim 8 , wherein the notification prompts the at least one patient to adjust the fit of a patient interface coupled to the at least one respiratory pressure therapy device via an air circuit. 
     
     
         11 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the therapy management server is configured to send the notification to a user associated with the computing device, and wherein the notification prompts the user to access the therapy management server. 
     
     
         12 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data server is coincident with the therapy management server. 
     
     
         13 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising the plurality of respiratory pressure therapy devices. 
     
     
         14 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the therapy summary data comprises the one or more leak flow rates, and wherein the condition of the first clinical rule compares the one or more leak flow rates to the first predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the therapy summary data comprises the one or more AHI's, and wherein the condition of the first clinical rule compares the one or more AHI's to the first predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined threshold is specific to a payor associated with the respective patient. 
     
     
         17 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined compliance standard has a minimum amount of usage per session for a fraction of a number of consecutive sessions of respiratory pressure therapy. 
     
     
         18 . The patient management system according to  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined compliance standard is specific to a payor associated with the respective patient. 
     
     
         19 . The patient management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the therapy summary data comprises the one or more leak flow rates, the one or more AHI's, and the one or more usage times, wherein the condition of the first clinical rule compares the one or more leak flow rates to the first predetermined threshold, and wherein the plurality of rules further comprises a second clinical rule having a condition that compares the one or more AHI's to a second predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         20 . A method of managing one or more patients undergoing respiratory pressure therapy, the method comprising:
 receiving, with one or more processors, therapy data concerning patient respiratory pressure therapy from a plurality of respiratory pressure therapy devices;   computing, with the one or more processors, therapy summary data from the therapy data, the therapy summary data comprising (a) one or more leak flow rates or one or more Apnea/Hypopnea Indices (AHI's) and (b) one or more usage times for each of a plurality of patients receiving the respiratory pressure therapy;   applying, with one or more processors, a plurality of rules to the therapy summary data, the plurality of rules comprising a first clinical rule and a compliance rule, the first clinical rule having a condition that compares the one or more leak flow rates or the one or more AHI's to a first predetermined threshold, the compliance rule having a condition that compares the one or more usage times to a predetermined compliance standard;   updating, with the one or more processors, a plurality of workflow groups, each workflow group corresponding to one of the plurality of rules, depending on results of the respective rule applications, wherein updating the plurality of workflow groups comprises adding at least one of the patients to a workflow group of patients experiencing compliance difficulties;   sending, with the one or more processors, in response to updating the plurality of workflow groups, a notification for addressing the compliance difficulties;   serving, with the one or more processors, a first graphical layout comprising a selectable heading for each of the plurality of workflow groups to a computing device;   receiving, with the one or more processors, a selection of the selectable heading for the workflow group of patients experiencing compliance difficulties via an interaction with the first graphical layout; and   serving, with the one or more processors, in response to receiving the selection of the selectable heading, a second graphical layout comprising details of one or more patients in the workflow group of patients experiencing compliance difficulties to the computing device.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the details of the one or more patients comprise a selectable name for each of the one or more patients. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving, with the one or more processors, a selection of any one of the selectable names via an interaction with the second graphical layout; and   serving, with the one or more processors, in response to receiving the selection of the any one of the selectable names, a corresponding patient menu comprising one or more options relating to the corresponding patient to the computing device.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein one option is a workflow history option, and wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, with the one or more processors, a selection of the workflow history option via an interaction with the corresponding patient menu; and   serving, with the one or more processors, in response to receiving the selection of the workflow history option, a list of workflow groups to which the corresponding patient has previously been added to the computing device.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein each entry of the list comprises the name of a workflow group to which the corresponding patient has previously been added, and the date on which the corresponding patient was added to that workflow group. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein second graphical layout comprises a selectable checkbox positioned by each of the selectable names, and wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, with the one or more processors, a selection of any one of the selectable checkboxes via an interaction with the second graphical layout; and   removing, with the one or more processors, in response to receiving the selection of the any one of the selectable checkboxes, the corresponding patient from the workflow group of patients experiencing compliance difficulties.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the updating comprises adding the patient to a workflow group upon the condition of the respective rule being satisfied. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the notification is sent to the at least one patient, and wherein the notification comprises educational or motivational content. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the notification prompts the at least one patient to meet the predetermined compliance standard. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the notification prompts the at least one patient to adjust the fit of a patient interface coupled to the at least one respiratory pressure therapy device via an air circuit. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the notification is sent to a user associated with the computing device, and wherein the notification prompts the user to interact with the first graphical layout. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the therapy summary data comprises the one or more leak flow rates, and wherein the condition of the first clinical rule compares the one or more leak flow rates to the first predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the therapy summary data comprises the one or more AHI's, and wherein the condition of the first clinical rule compares the one or more AHI's to the first predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the first predetermined threshold is specific to a payor associated with the respective patient. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the predetermined compliance standard has a minimum amount of usage per session for a fraction of a number of consecutive sessions of respiratory pressure therapy. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the predetermined compliance standard is specific to a payor associated with the respective patient. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the therapy summary data comprises the one or more leak flow rates, the one or more AHI's, and the one or more usage times, wherein the condition of the first clinical rule compares the one or more leak flow rates to the first predetermined threshold, and wherein the plurality of rules further comprises a second clinical rule having a condition that compares the one or more AHI's to a second predetermined threshold.