IP Library Granted Patent US 10,603,792
Granted Patent B2
US 10,603,792 · App. 14/550,744 · Granted Mar 31, 2020

Clinical workflows utilizing autonomous and semiautonomous telemedicine devices

Inventors: Fuji Lai (Goleta, CA); Timothy C. Wright (Santa Barbara, CA); Yair Lurie (Santa Barbara, CA); Yulun Wang (Goleta, CA)
Assignee: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
B25J9/1676G06F19/3418G06Q50/22G16H40/67Y10S901/01Y10S901/47Y10S901/49
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,603,792
App. No.
14/550,744
Granted
Mar 31, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure describes various clinical workflows and other methods that utilize a telemedicine device in a healthcare network. According to various embodiments, a healthcare practitioner may utilize a remote presence interfaces (RPIs) on a remote access device (RAD), such as a portable electronic device (PED) to interface with a telemedicine device. The healthcare practitioner may directly interface with a display interface of a telemedicine device or utilize the RPI on a RAD. The present disclosure provides various clinical workflows involving a telemedicine device to view patient data during a telepresence session, perform rounds to visit multiple patients, monitor a patient, allow for remote visitations by companions, and various other clinical workflow methods.

Claims (99)

1. A method for providing a remote telepresence patient visitation, the method comprising:

receiving a login request from a user using a remote presence interface on a remote access device;

verifying credentials of the user provided with the login request;

displaying a list of patients on the remote presence interface;

receiving a request from the user via the remote presence interface for telepresence sessions with a selection of a plurality of patients from the patient list;

directing a telemedicine device to autonomously navigate to a first patient of the plurality of patients;

receiving, prior to a telepresence session, patient data regarding the first patient from a bedside patient monitor;

populating a dashboard of the remote presence interface with the patient data related to the first patient, such that the patient data is viewable during the telepresence session;

in response to the telemedicine device reaching the first patient, initiating a telepresence session between the user and the first patient via the remote presence interface on the remote access device;

receiving, subsequent to initiating the telepresence session with the first patient, an indication that the user wishes to conclude the telepresence session with the first patient; and

directing, upon conclusion of the telepresence session with the first patient, the telemedicine device to autonomously navigate to a second patient of the plurality of patients.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein populating the dashboard of the remote presence interface, comprises:

subsequent to the telemedicine device reaching the first patient and initiating the telepresence session, gathering, by the telemedicine device, the patient data from the bedside patient monitor; and

transmitting the patient monitoring data from the telemedicine device to the remote presence interface for display in the dashboard, such that the patient data is viewable during a telepresence session.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an indication that the user wishes to conclude the telepresence session; and

directing the telemedicine device to autonomously navigate to a docking station.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

gathering patient data relating to the patient; and

transmitting the patient data from the telemedicine device to the remote access device to be used in populating a remote dashboard of the remote presence interface on the remote access device, such that the patient data is viewable during the telepresence session.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient data comprise a waveform.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient data comprise vital signs.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient data comprise biometric data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient data comprise archived patient monitoring data.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dashboard is populated with patient data before the telepresence session.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sharing the patient data from the remote presence device to a display associated with the telemedicine device viewable by a person in proximity to a bedside of the first patient.

11. The method of claim 1 , where directing comprises:

in response to detecting that the first patient's data is being reviewed, automatically dispatching the telemedicine device to a location of the first patient.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to real-time data concerning a condition of a third patient of the plurality of patients, automatically directing the telemedicine device to the third patient before the second patient.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

continuously updating an order of patients for the telemedicine device to visit based on real-time data relating to conditions of each of the plurality of patients.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

overriding an automatically-generated order for visiting one or more patients in response to a manual input.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to a third patient's data trigging an alarm condition:

automatically dispatching the telemedicine device to the third patient; and

sending an invitation to a medical practitioner to begin a telepresence session with the third patient.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

tracking an amount of time the telemedicine device is used in conjunction with a particular patient.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

displaying statistics on the remote presence interface relating to one or more encounters with the particular patient.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

documenting an encounter of the telemedicine device with a particular patient, wherein documenting comprises categorizing the encounter by at least one of type of visit, a type of person making the visit, the outcome of the visit, and a reason for the visit.

19. A telemedicine device comprising:

a communication component configured to receive a patient list indicating a plurality of patients to visit, wherein the patient list is created via a remote presence interface on a remote access device that displays a list of patients on the remote presence interface;

a navigation component configured to autonomously navigate the telemedicine device to a first patient of the plurality of patients;

a data collection component configured to gather patient data relating to the first patient, wherein the patient data comprise real-time patient monitoring data from a bedside patient monitor;

the communication component further configured to transmit the patient data to be used in populating a remote dashboard of a remote presence interface, such that the patient data is viewable during the telepresence session;

the communication component further configured to receive an indication to conclude the telepresence session with the first patient; and

wherein the navigation component is further configured to autonomously navigate the telemedicine device directly to a second patient of the plurality of patients, in response to the indication to conclude the telepresence session with the first patient.

20. The telemedicine device of claim 19 , further comprising:

an input configured to receive an indication that a medical professional is needed to visit a patient;

and wherein the communication component is further configured to:

transmit an invitation to the medical professional to join a telepresence session; and

transmit audio, video, and/or patient data to a remote access device to be viewed by the medical professional.

21. The telemedicine device of claim 19 wherein the communication component is further configured to:

transmit an invitation to a user to join a telepresence session; and

transmit audio, video, and/or patient data to the user via the telepresence session.

22. The telemedicine device of claim 19 , further comprising:

an input component configured to receive instructions to alert a user that a patient needs attention in response to an event;

a navigation component configured to autonomously navigate the telemedicine device to the patient in response to the event; and

wherein the communication component is further configured to:

transmit an invitation to the user to join a telepresence session upon arriving at the patient; and

transmit audio, video, and/or patient data to the user via the telepresence session.

23. A method comprising:

displaying a list of patients on a remote presence interface of a remote access device;

receiving, from a remote user, a selection of a plurality of patients from the patient list via the remote presence interface on the remote access device;

directing a telemedicine device to autonomously navigate to a first patient of the plurality of patients;

initiating a telepresence session with the first patient via the remote presence interface;

populating a dashboard of the remote presence interface with patient data relating to the first patient, wherein the patient data is obtained prior to the telepresence session from at least one of a patient chart and a bedside patient monitor, such that the patient data is viewable to the remote user during the telepresence session;

recording the patient data relating to the patient data for subsequent review;

directing the telemedicine device to display previously recorded patient data for review by a local medical professional;

receiving an indication to conclude the telepresence session with the first patient; and

directing, upon conclusion of the telepresence session with the first patient, the telemedicine device to autonomously navigate directly to a second patient of the plurality of patients.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

storing a record of each of a plurality of patient visits in a memory of a telepresence robot, wherein each patient is identified by a unique identifier and the record includes:

an amount of time spent at each patient's bedside;

a category for each encounter with a patient;

usage information for a component of the telemedicine device; and

exporting the record.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

receiving an indication by the telemedicine device that a medical professional is needed to visit the patient;

transmitting an invitation by the telemedicine device to the medical professional to join a telepresence session regarding the patient; and

transmitting audio, video, and/or patient data to a remote access device to be viewed by the medical professional.

26. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

receiving at the telemedicine device an indication that a medical professional is needed to visit the patient;

displaying a list of available medical professionals;

receiving a selection of a medical professional from the list of medical professionals available to visit the patient; and

transmitting, by the telemedicine device, an invitation to the selected medical professional to join the telepresence session.

27. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the telemedicine device, an invitation to a user to join a telepresence session; and

transmitting audio, video, and/or patient data to the user via the telepresence session.

28. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

receiving, by the telemedicine device, an instruction to remind a user that a patient needs attention in response to an event;

in response to the event, navigating the telemedicine device autonomously to the patient;

upon arriving at the patient, transmitting from the telemedicine device an invitation to the user to join a telepresence session; and

transmitting audio, video, and/or patient data from the telemedicine device to the user via the telepresence session.

Assignments (14)
NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Nov 25, 2025
From: TCG SENIOR FUNDING L.L.C., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SANTRUM HONG KONG CO., LIMITED, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073707/0516 →
CONFIRMATORY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN UNITED STATES PATENTS Recorded Jul 18, 2025
From: TELADOC HEALTH, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 072066/0931 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2023
From: IROBOT CORPORATION
To: TCG SENIOR FUNDING L.L.C., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064532/0856 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: IROBOT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064430/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2022
From: IROBOT CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061878/0097 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXEUTION DATE OF THE MERGER FROM 01/11/2020 TO 07/01/2020, PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053705 FRAME 0728. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER. Recorded Jan 14, 2021
From: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; JONATA SUB ONE, INC.
To: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 054986/0508 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE OF THE MERGER FROM 01/11/2020 TO 07/01/2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 053705 FRAME: 0839. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 14, 2021
From: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; JONATA SUB TWO, INC.
To: JONATA SUB TWO, INC.
Reel/Frame 054999/0001 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; JONATA SUB TWO, INC.
To: JONATA SUB TWO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053705/0839 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: TELADOC HEALTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 053743/0661 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; JONATA SUB ONE, INC.
To: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 053705/0728 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; JONATA SUB TWO, INC.
To: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 054690/0327 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AT REEL/FRAME NO. 45488/0518 Recorded Jul 1, 2020
From: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST, AS AGENT
To: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ACUTECARE TELEMEDICINE, LLC; C30 CORPORATION; INTOUCH HEALTH PROVIDERS, LLC; ITH DTC, LLC
Reel/Frame 053117/0060 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2018
From: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ACUTECARE TELEMEDICINE, LLC; C30 CORPORATION; INTOUCH HEALTH PROVIDERS, LLC; ITH DTC, LLC
To: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 045488/0518 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2016
From: LAI, FUJI; WRIGHT, TIMOTHY C.; LURIE, YAIR; WANG, YULUN
To: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; IROBOT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039500/0128 →