Medical device system and method having a distributed database

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12548646-B2
Application number	US-202217982084-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2022
Priority date	Jun 25, 2015
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A medical device system includes renal failure therapy machines each including a memory. The renal failure therapy machines are communicatively coupled such that the memories collectively form a distributed database. The system also includes a logic implementer associated with each renal failure therapy machine. Each logic implementer is programmed to automatically access the distributed database, so that each renal failure therapy machine periodically delivers prescription input parameters and/or treatment output data to at least one of the other renal failure therapy machines, and retrieves prescription input parameters and/or treatment output data from at least one of the other renal failure therapy machines. One of the renal failure therapy machines is configured to create at least one treatment record trend from the treatment output data and to share the at least one treatment record trend with other renal failure therapy machines through the distributed database.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1 . A renal failure therapy system comprising:
a plurality of renal failure therapy machines each including a dialysis fluid circuit, a medical fluid pump to move fluid in the dialysis fluid circuit, a user interface, and a memory, the plurality of renal failure therapy machines being communicatively coupled such that the memories collectively form a distributed database; and a logic implementer associated with each renal failure therapy machine for operating the respective medical fluid pump according to a pump input parameter and generating pump output data, wherein each logic implementer is programmed to enable an operator to interact with the renal failure therapy machine via the user interface and to automatically access the distributed database, so that each renal failure therapy machine of the system periodically
(i) delivers at least one selected from the group consisting of prescription input parameters including the pump input parameter and treatment output data including the pump output data to at least one of the other renal failure therapy machines, and
(ii) retrieves at least one selected from the group consisting of prescription input parameters including the pump input parameter and treatment output data including the pump output data from at least one of the other renal failure therapy machines,
wherein the renal failure therapy machines are configured to communicate directly with at least one of the other renal failure therapy machines via the distributed database and to synchronize the pump input parameter or the pump output data via the distributed database by
comparing, via the logic implementer, a most recent time stamp of the treatment output data including the pump output data at a selected renal failure therapy machine to time stamps of treatment output data including the pump output data at the other renal failure therapy machines,
determining, via the logic implementer, a most recent time stamp in one of the other renal failure therapy machines, and
selecting, via the logic implementer, the treatment output data including the pump output data corresponding to the most recent time stamp,
wherein at least one renal failure therapy machine of the plurality of renal failure therapy machines is configured to
create at least one treatment record trend from the treatment output data,
add the selected treatment output data corresponding to the most recent time stamp, and
share the at least one treatment record trend with other renal failure therapy machines of the plurality of renal failure therapy machines through the distributed database, and
wherein at least one of the logic implementers is configured to periodically:
push at least one of the prescription input parameters or the treatment output data to at least one of the other renal failure therapy machines without instruction from a centralized server, and/or
pull at least one of the prescription input parameters or the treatment output data from at least one of the other renal failure therapy machines without instruction from a centralized server.

2 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one renal failure therapy machine is configured to add the treatment output data to ongoing or moving treatment record trends.

3 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 1 , wherein multiple renal failure therapy machines of the plurality of renal failure therapy machines are configured to collectively create at least one treatment record trend from the treatment output data and to share the at least one treatment record trend with the other renal failure therapy machines through the distributed database.

4 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one renal failure therapy machine is configured to:
input newly acquired treatment output data into an average moving treatment record trend, and synchronize the newly acquired treatment output and the updated average moving treatment record trend with the other renal failure therapy machines.

5 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 4 , wherein the synchronization is performed via a comparison of at least one of record identifications, hash sums, or time stamps.

6 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one treatment record trend includes multiple trends including at least one of an actual data trend, a three-day moving average trend, or a seven-day moving average trend.

7 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 1 , further comprising a central hub configured to track trends and averages of renal failure therapy machines across multiple dialysis centers or medical clinics.

8 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 1 , wherein the treatment output data comprises an amount of ultrafiltration removed from a patient that is entered as a latest or most recent amount of ultrafiltration entry in an ongoing or moving amount of ultrafiltration trend.

9 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 1 , further comprising medical equipment including sensors configured to communicate with the distributed database and to send data to each renal failure therapy machine of the plurality of renal failure therapy machines, wherein the distributed database is configured to provide connectivity to and share the data from the sensors.

10 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 9 , wherein the data sent from each sensor has an identifier identifying that sensor, the system further comprising:
an algorithm located on a backend computer or one or more of the logic implementers of the renal failure therapy machines, the algorithm configured to:
analyze the data from each sensor,
determine trends in the data from the sensors,
monitor the trends to assess a performance of the sensors, and
when one of the monitored trends is indicative of an improperly operating sensor, transmit a flag to each renal failure therapy machine of the plurality of renal failure therapy machines causing the renal failure therapy machines to at least one of:
not accept the data from the improperly operating sensor, or
provide an indication to a clinician to have the improperly operating sensor recalibrated or replaced.

11 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 9 , wherein the sensors are selected from the group consisting of: a weight scale, a blood pressure measurement device, a glucose sensor, a physiological sensor, an electrocardiogram device, water treatment equipment, a bed scale, an access disconnection device, a bio-impedance measurement device, a pH sensor, lab testing equipment, a blood sample analyzer, and an access flow measurement device.

12 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 1 , wherein the logic implementers are configured to share operating software between the renal failure therapy machines of the plurality of renal failure therapy machines via the distributed database.

13 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 12 , wherein the logic implementers are configured to use the distributed database to ensure that each renal failure therapy machine of the plurality of renal failure therapy machines operates with a latest operating software by propagating a software update, provided on one of the renal failure therapy machines, to all the renal failure therapy machines of the plurality of renal failure therapy machines.

14 . The renal failure therapy system of claim 12 , wherein the logic implementers are configured to use the distributed database to perform software updates while the renal failure therapy machines of the plurality of renal failure therapy machine

Assignees

• Gambro Lundia Ab

Inventors

• Lofgren Par
• Hobro Sture
• Nilsson Roger
• Persson Roland
• Ridell Peter

Classifications

• G06F11/0709

  in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems · CPC title

• G16H15/00

  ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof · CPC title

• G16H20/17

  delivered via infusion or injection · CPC title

• G16H40/40

  for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades · CPC title

• G16H20/40

  relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture · CPC title