Wearable medical device data connectivity system and method
The inventive system enables wearables to function as portable, always transmitting medical devices within hospital settings, integrating the data therefrom seamlessly into electronic medical records. The dynamic switching of wearables among virtual Bluetooth hotspots ensures and enhances both the reliability of data transmission and the potential for wearables to contribute meaningfully to the electronic medical record infrastructure within healthcare facilities.
1. A method for data continuity in a mesh network of Bluetooth medical devices and computing device nodes, some of said mesh network of Bluetooth medical devices and computing device nodes contained within or about a medical facility, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting a data gap between roaming reconnection or periodic disconnections of said computing device nodes with a specific patient medical device within the mesh network, said data gap detected by a central information Medical Device Data System (MDDS);
initiating a process to collect missing data due to the data gap from the specific patient medical device, said process initiated by said central MDDS and instructing one of said computing device nodes to retrieve and store the missing data locally; and,
automatically time synchronizing the stored missing data using the central information MDDS upon reconnection of the medical devices with said one of said computing device nodes; and, transmitting the missing data to an electronic medical record (EMR).
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said computing device nodes include bedside monitoring MDDS units.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said computing device nodes include any stationary or roaming computing device within or about the facility.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein computing device nodes include smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers located within or about said facility.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein computing device nodes are one of smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers located within about said facility.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers may be configured as computing device nodes by downloading and installing a software application, and may be stationary or roaming.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein others of said mesh network of Bluetooth medical devices and computing device nodes are outside of said medical facility, including the steps of downloading said software application to LoRa or Wi-Fi HaLow capable computing devices; pairing one of said specific patient medical devices to one of said LoRa or Wi-Fi HaLow capable computing devices;
connecting said one of said LoRa or Wi-Fi HaLow capable computing devices to said central information Medical Device Data System (MDDS) for transmission of medical device data thereto; whereby said mesh network is extended outside of said medical facility.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of said medical devices is associated with a specific patient.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein said LoRa or Wi-Fi HaLow capable computing devices are smartphones or smartwatches.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein said LoRa or Wi-Fi HaLow capable computing devices are in transport.
11. The method of claim 6 wherein said LoRa or Wi-Fi HaLow capable computing devices are positioned at a location remote from said facility.