Multiple patient monitoring system for proactive health management
A system and method for monitoring a group of patients having a chronic disease or ongoing health condition. The method includes the step of collecting from each patient a corresponding set of measurements of a control parameter of the health condition. Each set of measurements has a collection date. A control value is calculated for each patient from the corresponding set of measurements. The method further includes the steps of generating and displaying a group overview chart having one data point for each patient. Each data point indicates the control value calculated for the corresponding patient and a time period which has elapsed since the collection date of the patient's corresponding set of measurements. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes the additional steps of selecting from the group overview chart at least one of the patients represented thereon and transmitting supervisory instructions to the at least one selected patient.
1. A system for monitoring a plurality of patients regarding a health condition, comprising:
a reception unit for receiving a corresponding set of measurements regarding said health condition from each patient included in the plurality of patients;
a processing unit in communication with said reception unit for processing said corresponding set of measurements and identifying at least one patient included in the plurality of patients based upon said processing of said corresponding set of measurements;
a database, the database being in communication with said processing unit, the database being configured for storing medical health history information for each patient included in the plurality of patients, wherein processing of said corresponding set of measurements by the processing unit includes evaluating said corresponding set of measurements against said stored medical health history information;
a transfer unit in communication with said processing unit, wherein said transfer unit communicates with said at least one identified patient, said transfer unit being configured for transmitting a message for communicating with said at least one identified patient, the message being based upon said medical health history information and said processing of said corresponding set of measurements, the message being one of: a telephone message and an electronic mail message; and
a display unit in communication with said processing unit, the display unit being configured for displaying a group overview chart, said group overview chart being generated by the processing unit based upon said processing and being provided to said display unit, said group overview chart including a plurality of data points, wherein each of the data points represents one corresponding patient included in the plurality of patients and indicates at least one control value for the one corresponding patient, the control value being indicative of the one corresponding patient's control over said health condition, the control value being based upon said corresponding set of measurements, each data point including an icon.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said processing unit determines compliance based upon a time of receipt of said set of corresponding set of measurements and a number of corresponding sets of measurements compared with a prescribed number.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a device in communication with said reception unit.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein said device is one of a remote monitoring system or an electronic logbook.
5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a response device in communication with said transfer unit.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said response device is at least one of a personal computer, a network terminal, a television, a personal digital assistant, or a video game system.
7. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said reception unit is a modem.
8. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said processing unit is a server.
9. The system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said display unit is a workstation.