Method and apparatus for health and disease management combining patient data monitoring with wireless internet connectivity
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for a wireless health monitoring system for interactively monitoring a disease or health condition of a patient by connecting a mobile phone to or with a digital camera and/or a medical monitoring device. The health related data or visual information from the camera is transmitted to a server using standard internet protocols and may be integrated with various operating systems for handheld or wireless devices, especially those with enhanced capabilities for handing images and visual data.
1. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a server in signal communication with the internet to:
provide a device application and user interface to an mobile phone, wherein the user interface or device application contains instructions for causing the mobile phone to receive data from a generic input/output port and from a camera;
receive a signal corresponding to a health parameter or a visual image from the mobile phone, the health parameter or visual image corresponding to a disease state or condition of a patient;
calculate a response based at least in part on the received signal;
communicate the response to the mobile phone; and
display features according to the response.
2. A device for monitoring health, comprising:
a mobile phone in signal communication with a digital camera, the mobile phone running an application, the application functioning to accept inputs from the digital camera and from a communications port, the communications port including a wireless link to a network; and
a server application connected to the network and in communication with the mobile phone, the server application accessible by a caregiver for monitoring health as indicated by the mobile phone.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mobile phone is a cellular phone.
4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mobile phone is a satellite phone.
5. The device of claim 2 , wherein the digital camera is integral with the mobile phone.
6. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mobile phone further comprises internal memory.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the internal memory is selected from the group consisting of: microdrive, RAM, flash memory, and combinations of the above.
8. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mobile phone further comprises an external memory.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the external memory is a memory card or memory stick.
10. The device of claim 2 , wherein the digital camera is not integral with the mobile phone.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the digital camera is connected to the mobile phone via a wired connection.
12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the digital camera is connected to the mobile phone via a wireless connection.
13. A device for monitoring health, comprising:
a mobile phone in signal communication with a digital camera, the mobile phone running an application, the application functioning to accept inputs from the digital camera and from a communications port, the communications port including a wireless link to a network, the mobile phone further having a port for connection to a medical device; and
a server application connected to the network and in communication with the mobile phone, the server application accessible by a caregiver for monitoring health as indicated by the mobile phone via the camera and a signal from the medical device.
14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the mobile phone is a cellular phone.
15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the mobile phone is a satellite phone.
16. The device of claim 13 , wherein the connection between the mobile phone and the medical device is wired.
17. The device of claim 13 , wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of: blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, body weight scales, heart rate monitors, respiratory monitors, temperature monitors, ECG monitors, and combinations thereof.
18. The device of claim 13 , wherein the mobile phone further comprises internal memory.
19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the internal memory is selected from the group consisting of: microdrive, RAM, flash memory, and combinations of the above.
20. The device of claim 13 , wherein the mobile phone further comprises an external memory.
21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the external memory is a memory card or memory stick.
22. The device of claim 13 , wherein the connection between the mobile phone and the medical device is wireless.
23. The device of claim 22 , wherein the wireless connection is via a variety of 802.11.
24. The device of claim 22 , wherein the wireless connection is via Bluetooth.
25. The device of claim 22 , wherein the wireless connection is via IR.
26. The device of claim 22 , wherein the wireless connection is via broadband wireless.
27. The device of claim 22 , wherein the wireless connection is via wireless USB.
28. A method of wirelessly monitoring the disease state or condition of a patient, comprising:
providing a user interface and application to an mobile phone;
entering a health parameter to the mobile phone via a generic input/output port or entering a visual image to the mobile phone via a digital camera, the health parameter or visual image corresponding to a disease state or condition of a patient;
wirelessly transmitting the health parameter or visual image to a server;
receiving the determined health parameter at the server;
calculating a response based on the determined health parameter; and
delivering the response to the mobile phone.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the mobile phone is a cellular phone.
30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the mobile phone is a satellite phone.
31. The method of claim 28 , wherein the connection between the mobile phone and the medical device is wired.
32. The method of claim 28 , wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of: blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, body weight scales, heart rate monitors, respiratory monitors, temperature monitors, ECG monitors, and combinations thereof.
33. The method of claim 28 , further comprising transferring information between the medical device and the generic input/output port using an adaptor.
34. The method of claim 28 , wherein the digital camera is integral with the mobile phone.
35. The method of claim 28 , wherein the mobile phone further comprises internal memory.
36. The method of claim 35 , wherein the internal memory is selected from the group consisting of: microdrive, RAM, flash memory, and combinations of the above.
37. The device of claim 28 , wherein the mobile phone further comprises an external memory.
38. The device of claim 37 , wherein the external memory is a memory card or memory stick.
39. The method of claim 28 , wherein the digital camera is not integral with the mobile phone.
40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the digital camera is connected to the mobile phone via a wired connection.
41. The method of claim 39 , wherein the digital camera is connected to the mobile phone via a wireless connection.
42. The method of claim 28 , wherein the connection between the mobile phone and the medical device is wireless.
43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the wireless connection is via a variety of 802.11.
44. The method of claim 42 , wherein the wireless connection is via Bluetooth.
45. The method of claim 42 , wherein the wireless connection is via IR.
46. The method of claim 42 , wherein the wireless connection is via broadband wireless.
47. The method of claim 42 , wherein the wireless connection is via wireless USB.