WO2003011123A1

WO2003011123A1 - Method and device for detecting health parameters

Info

Publication number: WO2003011123A1
Application number: PCT/AT2002/000229
Authority: WO
Inventors: Günter SCHREIER; Peter Kastner; Wolfgang Marko
Original assignee: Arc Seibersdorf Research Gmbh
Priority date: 2001-08-01
Filing date: 2002-07-31
Publication date: 2003-02-13
Also published as: AT414210B; ATA11992001A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and device for detecting at least one health parameter of at least one user or patient, the measured value thereof being determined by means of at least one measuring device associated with the user or patient and being transmitted to a home monitoring center which is remote from said user. According to the invention, at least one image is recorded with the aid of an electronic image recording device on the basis of measured values displayed by the respective measuring device(s) in the form of optically recognizable symbols, said image is transmitted to the center (8) and evaluated with regard to the establishment or determination of the measured values and/or said image is evaluated in the region of the user or patient with regard to establishing or determining said measured values and the results of the evaluation or determined measured values are transmitted to the center (8).

Description

Method and arrangement for recording health parameters

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and an arrangement according to the preamble of patent claim 6. The invention is intended to implement the acquisition, processing and administration of health parameters, in particular within the scope of an inventive arrangement designed as a comprehensive home monitoring system.

The treatment of chronic diseases (e.g. high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, asthma, obesity, etc.) requires close cooperation between the treating doctor and the patient. A clear cure is usually not possible with these diseases. The goal is to maximize the quality of life and minimize the long-term damage. The therapy process can be divided into the following recurring tasks:

1.Examination and clarification of the clinical picture by the attending doctor and implementation or adjustment of the therapy plan (e.g. medication, doses,

Intervals, etc.), as well as prescribing home monitoring of certain health parameters,

2. taking the medication according to the therapy plan,

3. Monitor the therapeutic effect over a period determined by the treating physician and in an interval determined by the treating physician

Self-control of health parameters.

4. After a certain time, the cycle starts again at point 1.

Health parameters are understood in the context of the invention to mean symbols and / or alphanumeric values which are the result of a metrological determination of a parameter such as e.g. Blood pressure, blood sugar, tidal volume, body weight, body temperature, heart rate, etc. can be recorded using a medical measuring device. In addition, states that cannot be determined by measurement, e.g. the subjective well-being is captured by a literal description or by displaying additional information boards. Medical measuring devices are used by various manufacturers to determine

Health parameters for patients for self-control in the home area are offered. Some of the manufacturers of these medical measuring devices also offer interfaces to computers and programs for the electronic management of measurement data. The user can note the health parameters recorded in point 3 above for monitoring the therapeutic effect by self-control, or save them when using certain devices and present them to the doctor at the next visit to adapt the therapy plan. Furthermore, services in the area of administration and processing of health parameters are offered, which either input the measurement data using the keyboard or directly couple the measurement values manufacturer-specific interfaces and manufacturer-specific transmission device require. The incompatibility of the systems from different manufacturers requires the parallel use of several comparable products on the part of the doctor in order to be able to include the different health parameters recorded by different patients with different medical measuring devices in the course of monitoring and therapy optimization in electronic form.

The possibility of acquiring image data with digital imaging devices and transmitting them using mobile radio devices is known. The image data transmission will be simplified and accelerated due to the increasing availability of fast data transmission technologies (GPRS, UMTS) in the foreseeable future.

WO 0 038 393 describes a portable communication device or a method for expanding existing devices for wireless communication and transmission of medical data of a user or patient. The hardware consists of a communication unit and a unit for recording and storing data, which are determined by means of sensors.

US 5,827,180 describes a system for bidirectional communication between the patient and a healthcare facility, which is based on predefined, patient-specific settings and current health parameters such as e.g. the tidal volume gives the patient advice on how to adjust the medication. The patient is automatically asked at certain times to record his health parameters and enter them into the home monitoring system using a keyboard.

EP 0 770 349 describes a system that is connected to the body surface of a person and wirelessly transmits health parameters such as pulse, temperature, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, EKG, etc. to a specific remote site using an optical interface.

WO 01/08409 and WO 00/54483 describe variants of mobile video telephones with an image recording unit and a communication unit, which can be used for recording image information and the mobile transmission of image data.

On the physician's side, the efficient use of manufacturer-specific systems for the home monitoring of health parameters of patients, particularly those with chronic illnesses, requires that these parameters can be made available to the doctor on a regular basis in a prepared, manufacturer-independent form. The problem is that there is currently no process that allows this process to be standardized and independent of health parameters and manufacturers. Therefore, the doctor must either have a variety of similar systems from different manufacturers available in his practice or restrict the treatment method to selected product brands and recommend the patient to purchase these selected systems. On the patient side, there is no simple procedure that allows health parameters to be fed into a home monitoring system regardless of the manufacturer and

Health parameters allowed. When using a keyboard for entering measured values, e.g. the risk that some patients are overwhelmed with the input or that incorrect entries occur.

To solve this problem, a method of the type mentioned is characterized according to the invention by the features stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. An arrangement according to the invention or the home monitoring system according to the invention is characterized by the features stated in the characterizing part of claim 6.

The method according to the invention comprises the specific use of modern telecommunications technology paired with an automatic one

Image data processing method. Both of the above-mentioned problems, which are not satisfactorily solved with previous home monitoring systems or are caused by incompatibility of existing systems, can be solved using image acquisition, transmission and subsequent automatic processing with appropriate pattern and character recognition.

In the subclaims, advantageous constructive, in particular handling simplifying, embodiments of the invention are described. 1 shows a display of a medical measuring device with a

Identification possibility consisting of an identification label and a delimitation of the display area by e.g. four position marker labels. 2 shows a block diagram of the imaging and transmission device consisting of a mobile radio device which, for the purpose of image acquisition, either has a digital imaging device integrated (integrated overall device) or has a digital interface to an external digital imaging device. The connection between the mobile device and the home monitoring center is implemented using digital data transmission. 3 shows a block diagram of the home monitoring center. 4 shows a flow chart of a home monitoring session. 5 shows a flow diagram of the data extraction. 6 shows a symbolic representation of personal well-being in the form of additional information boards.

1 and 2 show the essential elements of the home monitoring system or the arrangement according to the invention which are used in the area of the home monitoring user. The display area 1 of the medical measuring device (MMG) 4 is delimited at its corner points with, for example, self-adhesive position marker labels or position markings 2 formed on the measuring device 4 itself and provided with at least one clear identification label 3, which preferably bears a barcode. On the one hand, this measure allows the detection and determination of the display area 1 and the subsequent transformation into a normalized representation, on the other hand, with the Identification label 3 enables the medical measuring device 4 to be clearly identified.

4 describes the sequence of a typical home monitoring session. In order to prevent the patient from being influenced by the current values of the health parameter (GHP) in his subjective well-being, the home monitoring user (HMB) is informed by executing the process elements 20-22, preferably any additional information about the subjective well-being before determining the health parameters To detect the use of predefined additional information boards (ZIT) (FIG. 6), or to select the symbol that most closely corresponds to the feeling and to display it using the digital imaging device (DAV) 5. Simple pictograms 49-51 (FIG. 6) can preferably be used as symbols.

Furthermore, the home monitoring user can use an additional identification option by imaging his personal identification card using the digital imaging device 5.

The home monitoring user can record the name and dose of the medication prescribed by the doctor either using a barcode reader or also by means of imaging using a digital imaging device 5. The process parameters 23-26 then determine the health parameter with the corresponding medical measuring device 4. With the aid of a 6a integrated in a mobile radio device (MFG) 6a or a separate digital imaging device 5, a close-up of the carried out in the display area 4, the image should contain at least the position marker labels 2. If provided, this process can be repeated for the determination of further health parameters with the same or other corresponding medical measuring device (s) 4. After all the images have been carried out and the medication and any additional information has been recorded, the home monitoring user connects the two devices via a digital interface 5a in the case of a separate mobile radio device 6 and a separate digital imaging device 5 and starts the transmission 27 of his monitoring data after prior login with user name and password to the home monitoring center (HMZ) 8 based on digital data transmission (DDÜ) 7. In the receiving unit 10 of the home monitoring center 8, the incoming data are checked for completeness and correctness and a corresponding message is transmitted to the home monitoring user. In the event that the data transfer has not been completed correctly, the home monitoring user can be asked to repeat the transfer of the data (process element 32). If after a defined number of attempts (m _max ) (process element 31) a successful transmission of the monitoring data is not possible, a corresponding notification can be sent to the Home monitoring user and / or the home monitoring supervisor (HMÜ) are sent out (process element 33) or the session is ended (process element 34).

After the successful arrival of the monitoring data, the subprocesses shown in FIG. 3 run or units are used to enable automatic processing of the data. First, in accordance with the flow chart shown in FIG. 5, the image data are sequentially subjected to a segmentation and pattern recognition method (process elements 10, 11) that can be created according to the prior art, and the alphanumeric values are extracted (FIG. 3). For this purpose, process elements 35 to 44 are processed one after the other. The segmentation is based on a division of the display area of the medical measuring device 4 standardized according to transformation by a priori knowledge. The a priori knowledge of the properties of various medical measuring devices 4 regarding their display is provided to the segmentation algorithm in the form of a database 17a. The medical measuring device 4 is identified by the identification label 3 contained in the figure. Appropriately adapted extraction algorithms are used for the extraction of symbolic information from additional information tables. The extracted alphanumeric values are subjected to a plausibility check (process element 46) in that they are preferably compared with previous values of the home monitoring user and subjected to basic plausibility criteria. If it is not possible to extract plausible values even after repeated attempts (n _max ) (process element 47) and corresponding correction of the segmentation parameters (process element 45), the segmentation and extraction process is terminated (process element 48).

The extracted data is assigned to the corresponding home monitoring user in the database 17b based on the unique identification features (process element 12).

After the extracted data values have been assigned to the respective home monitoring user in the database, a history of the health parameters is created in the form of a time history diagram (process element 13), taking into account all data previously contained in the database by this home monitoring user. Furthermore, notifications are initiated (process element 15) based on the limit values defined by the attending physician (process element 14) in accordance with the specific setting specific to the home monitoring user. The limit value check can be carried out in different ways: It is possible to carry out exceedance and undershoot queries, but also to include dynamic factors and combinations of various health parameters in the limit value monitoring. For example, the home monitoring supervisor can specify for a particular patient that he wants to be notified immediately via SMS if the home monitoring user exceeds X the limit value for diastolic blood pressure within Y consecutive days. A notification in a form selectable by the home monitoring monitor (process element 17c) is also provided when the intervals of the incoming data do not match the monitoring interval prescribed by the home monitoring monitor. The home monitoring supervisor has the possibility at any time to query the data of his home monitoring user via password-protected access 16 to the server 18 in the home monitoring center 8 and to display or print out the progressions on a monitor. Via this password-protected access 16, it is possible to change configuration settings of the home monitoring user and to include new home monitoring users in the home monitoring system. However, the home monitoring system also provides for an anonymous recording of home monitoring users who want to use the home monitoring system without direct contact with a home monitoring supervisor to use their health parameters for prevention purposes. For rapid processing of parallel incoming monitoring data from different home monitoring users, all subtasks to be carried out are distributed in parallel to the subprocess units in the sequence control 9 and these are processed by one or more computers. In an administration and monitoring unit 19, administrative processes such as keeping an electronic log book for documenting the processes carried out, creating backups for backup and long-term storage etc. are carried out. The image data extraction according to the process element 11 or according to FIG. 5 could also take place in the patient, the extracted data being transmitted to the control center 8.

A home monitoring system that is easy to use for the user is achieved by mapping display values from medical measuring devices 4 with alphanumeric displays 1 for the acquisition of health parameters, which are determined by means of medical measuring devices 4, the remote transmission of the image data including identification information using telecommunication technology methods into a home monitoring center 8 and the following Extraction of the display values from the image data for the manufacturer-independent display of series of measurement values as progress diagrams over any length of time at selectable intervals, which are made accessible to authorized home monitoring monitors by means of digital telecommunication methods, the display values advantageously being captured or imaged by a close-up with the digital imaging device 5 become.

It can be advantageous if at least one self-adhesive identification label 3 is provided, which carries at least one barcode and is attached in the immediate area outside the display 1. In the home monitoring center 8, it is thus easy to establish a clear reference to the home monitoring user and his medical measuring device 4 from the identification information. The successful procedure is facilitated if, using a priori knowledge of the structure and type of display 1 of the medical measuring device 4 used, the alphanumeric display values are automatically extracted.

For the assessment of the measured values, it is advantageous if additional information about the drugs used and their doses as well as about the subjective feeling of the patient by recording or mapping defined additional information boards 49, 50, 51 (FIG. 6) or by reading in Additional information in the form of barcodes is also transmitted to the home monitoring center 8 by means of a barcode reader and integrated into the patient management. The extracted display values are entered or saved in the control center in a clear relationship to the corresponding data of the home monitoring user.

Using digital telecommunication methods, e.g. Consisting of a computer with access to the Internet and WEB browser, and home monitoring monitors authorized with appropriate authentication codes can transfer the determined data and also new home monitoring users can be included in the home monitoring system as well as person-specific configuration settings regarding the type of monitoring of the medical measuring device 4 used, the monitoring interval and the Notification mode can be taken.

In practice, depending on the configuration settings and the occurrence of certain states, e.g. by exceeding or falling below thresholds of X

Days out of Y days on automatic notifications of the current status

Home monitoring monitors, home monitoring users or other defined bodies using electronic communication methods.

A simple image recording device 5 can be formed by a portable video camera which has an interface for a telephone or a computer.

It is important for the invention that the captured image is transmitted to the control center and evaluated far from the location where the image was captured. It is important that the edges or the optically recognizable symbols displayed by the measuring device are digitized and that the transmission takes place in this form. The recorded, optically recognizable symbols are identified using a

Font recognition system and / or image recognition system converted into digital measurement data. The image evaluation unit provided comprises a character recognition unit or is formed by such a unit.

Claims

Pa te n ta nsp rü ch e:

1. Method for recording at least one health parameter, e.g. Blood pressure, blood sugar, body weight or the like, from at least one user or patient, the measured value of which is determined using at least one measuring device (4) assigned to the user (s) or patient and sent to a home monitoring station located away from the user ) Control center (8) is transmitted, characterized in that

- That of the respective measuring device (s) (1) in the form of optically recognizable symbols, in particular in the form of numbers and / or letters, the measured value (s) displayed with an electronic image recording device or a digital imaging device (5) and / or if necessary at least one image is recorded by a character recognition unit, and

- That this image of the center (8), in particular with digital telecommunications methods and / or wireless transmission techniques, possibly after conversion into digital measurement data, transmitted and there in

Is evaluated with a view to ascertaining or determining the measured values and / or

- That this image is evaluated in the area of the user or patient with a view to ascertaining or determining the measured values and the results of the evaluation or the determined measured values to the control center (8), in particular using digital telecommunication methods and / or wireless transmission techniques, if necessary Conversion into digital measurement data.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that - in addition to the image of the measured value (s) - optionally before or simultaneously with the recording of this image - at least one optically assigned to the measuring device (4) and / or the patient perceptible identifier (3) and / or at least one identification and / or at least additional information (49, 50, 51) presented by the patient, in each case e.g. B. in the form of alphanumeric characters, pictograms, barcodes, data sets or the like. Is added, and

- That these additional image (s) and / or the results of an evaluation of the recording (s) of this additional image (s) are transmitted to the central unit (8), where appropriate these (s) additional image (s) or the results of the evaluation of this additional image (s) before or together with the image (s) of the measured values or the results of the evaluation of the

Image of the measured values are transmitted to the control center (8).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the identifier (3) and / or identification to be recorded is formed on the measuring device (4) itself or is applied to it or attached to it.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in

- That the control unit (8) uses the transmitted identifier (3) and / or identification to assign the measured values and / or the measuring device (4) to the respective patient and / or

- that the measured values and / or identifications and / or additional information extracted from the (n) transmitted image (s) of the measured values are stored after assignment to the respective patient, and / or

- that the displayed letters and / or numbers and / or symbols are extracted from the recorded images of the measured values and / or identifier and / or identification by means of arithmetic image evaluation methods or - that the recorded identifiers and / or symbols with identifiers and / stored in the control center or symbols are compared for agreement.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the images and / or evaluation results determined in the area of the patient are temporarily stored and delayed, in particular after they have been called up by the center (8), transmitted to the center.

6. Arrangement for recording at least one health parameter of at least one user or patient, the measured value of which with at least one of the

Measuring device (4) assigned to user (s) or patient is determined and then transmitted to a remote control center, in particular for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that

- That in the area of the user or patient, an image recording device (5) or a digital imaging device and / or a font recognition unit for the

Measuring device (4) in optically recognizable form, in particular in the form of letters and / or numbers and / or symbols, displayed measured values, preferably a digital imaging device (5) set up for close-ups, e.g. Digital camera, CCD camera, video camera, C-MOS camera, is provided - that the image recording device (5) via a data transmission unit (7) with the

Center (8) is connected, and - that in the image recording device (5) or in the imaging device or in the character recognition unit or in the center (8) an image evaluation unit Extraction of the measured values from the image data of the recorded images is provided.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that in the image recording device (5) and / or the control center (8) at least one memory is provided for the recorded image data and / or the measured values extracted from the image data of the recorded images and / or

- That at least one memory is provided in the image recording device (5) and / or in the control center (8) for the measured values extracted from the image data and / or for the identification and / or identification and / or additional information data.

8. Arrangement according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that identification data or identifications (3) on a partial area of the measuring device (4) which can be detected by the image recording device (5), in particular in an area close to the display (1) of the measured values, especially regarding device parameters, the type of device,

Display characteristic, specification, assignment parameters to the patient or the like and / or identification data or identification relating to the user, e.g. Name, gender, age, prescribed medication, diseases, and / or additional information data or additional information regarding parameters which can be selected by the user, e.g. current state of affairs, special occurrences or the like, arranged and / or attached or attachable to the measuring device or arranged in the recording area of the image recording device (5) and / or

- That carriers (3) for the identification and / or identification and / or additional information data, preferably self-adhesive foils, labels or the like, are provided or attached to the measuring device, in particular in the area of the display of the measured values.

9. Arrangement according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in

- That, in particular in the vicinity of the display of the measured values and in particular in the recording area of the image recording device (5), on the housing of the measuring device (4)

Markings (2) are designed to delimit or delimit the display area of the measured values and / or the area of the identification and / or identification and / or additional information data, and

- That within the area delimited by the markings, the carriers (3) for the identification and / or identification and / or additional information data can be attached to the housing or these data are attached or formed in this area directly on the housing of the measuring device (4), wherein if necessary, the markings (2) are recorded by the image recording device (5) and in the evaluation of the Images used to determine the position of the measurement data and / or identification and / or identification and / or additional information data on the measuring device (4).