Abstract:
A health monitoring system receives a health condition reading from a mobile device. The health condition reading is compared to ranges of data defining acceptable health conditions. If the health condition reading lies outside one of the ranges of data, then an alert may be generated and sent to the mobile device. The alert informs a user that the health condition reading is unacceptable, perhaps requiring medical attention.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/805,927 filed May 25, 2007 and now issued as U.S. Pat. No. ______, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/631,549 filed Jul. 31, 2003 and now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,238,156, with both applications incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In the medical industry, it is common practice to utilize instruments and devices to monitor the health condition of patients. The health condition of a patient may be defined by measuring and recording a quantifiable parameter such as, for example, pulse, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol and then comparing the recorded measurement against a predefined range that a physician may establish for each patient. If the recorded measurement is within the predefined range, the patient&#39;s health may be considered satisfactory. In contrast, a recorded measurement that falls outside the predefined range may cause a physician to further explore the nonconforming reading and ultimately prescribe medical treatment. 
         [0003]    Generally, the instruments and devices that are capable of monitoring a patient&#39;s health are located at doctors&#39; offices, hospitals, or other medical facilities, and thus require patients to travel from their residence or workplace to monitor their particular health condition(s). However, many people such as, for example, elderly individuals, have health conditions that necessitate constant monitoring. In addition, the inconvenience and expense of doctor/hospital visits may also prevent individuals from monitoring their particular condition and thus prevent such individuals from maintaining good health. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one general respect, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a health monitoring system. According to this embodiment, the health monitoring system includes a first server configured to receive a first set of information from a monitoring device, wherein the first set of information includes a health condition reading of a subscriber, and wherein the first server is configured to process the first set of information and transmit a second set of information to the monitoring device and/or a telecommunications device, wherein the second set of information includes medical treatment information and/or medical advice concerning the subscriber. The health monitoring system also includes a database in communication with the first server and configured to store a third set of information therein, wherein the third set of information includes emergency contact information, one or more health conditions of the subscriber, monitoring time intervals, and/or numerical ranges defining acceptable health conditions and medical alert conditions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Further advantages of the present invention may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) for integration with a public switched telephone network according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a system according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a system according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0009]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are flowcharts illustrating a process performed by the system shown in  FIG. 3  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements of a conventional telecommunications network. For example, certain operating system details and modules of certain of the intelligent platforms of the network are not described herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, however, that these and other elements may be desirable in a typical telecommunications network. However, because such elements are well known in the art and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. 
         [0011]    The term “calling party” is used herein generally to refer to the person or device that initiates a telecommunication. In some cases, the calling party may not be a person, but may be a device such as a facsimile machine, an answering service, a modem, etc. The term “communication” is used herein to include all messages or calls that may be exchanged between a calling party and a called party, including, but not limited to, voice, data and video messages. The term “communication” is used synonymously herein with the term “call” unless a distinction is noted. The term “subscriber” is used herein to generally refer to a subscriber of the described telecommunications service. The subscriber may also be referred to herein as “patient” or as “subscribing patient.” 
         [0012]    According to one embodiment, the system of the present invention utilizes the intelligent functionality of an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). The AIN is a network that may be used in conjunction with a conventional telephone network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN), to provide enhanced voice and data services and dynamic routing capabilities using two different networks. The actual voice call is transmitted over a circuit-switched network, but the signaling is done on a separate packet-switched network. In another embodiment, the AIN may be a service independent architecture designed to be programmable and controlled by software distributed in elements throughout the network. In addition, the AIN may reside in a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network, using Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol to request routing instruction. Before describing details of the system of the present invention, a description of the AIN is provided. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN)  10  for integration with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) according to one embodiment of the present invention. The AIN  10  may be employed by a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) and may be utilized by the LEC to allow the LEC to provide call processing features and services that are not embedded within conventional switching circuits of the PSTN. 
         [0014]    A typical LEC includes a number of central office (CO) switches for interconnecting customer premises terminating equipment with the PSTN. For an LEC including the AIN  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the central office switches may be provided as Service Switching Points (SSP) switches  12 . The dashed line  14  between the SSP switches  12  indicates that the number of SSP switches  12  in the AIN  10  may vary depending on the particular requirements of the AIN  10 . The AIN  10  may also include a non-SSP switch  16 . The difference between the SSP switches  12  and the non-SSP switch  16  is that the SSP switches  12  provide intelligent network functionality. Interconnecting the SSP switches  12  and the non-SSP switch  16  are communication links  18  which maybe, for example, trunk circuits. 
         [0015]    Each SSP switch  12  and non-SSP switch  16  has a number of subscriber lines  20  connected thereto. The subscriber lines  20  may be, for example, conventional twisted pair loop circuits (i.e. Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)) connected between the switches  12 ,  16  and the telephone drops for the customer premises, or the subscriber lines  20  may be trunk circuits, such as T-1 trunk circuits, a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). The number of subscriber lines  20  connected to each switch  12  and switch  16  may be on the order of, for example, ten thousand to one hundred thousand lines. Each of the subscriber lines  20  is connected to a terminating piece of customer premises equipment, represented in  FIG. 1  by the landline telephones  22 . Alternatively, the terminating equipment may be other types of telecommunications devices such as, for example, a telecopier, a personal computer, a modem, or a private branch exchange (PBX) switching system. 
         [0016]    For the AIN  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , each SSP switch  12  and the non-SSP switch  16  are connected to a signal transfer point (STP)  24  via a communication link  26 . The communication link  26  may employ, for example, the SS7 switching protocol. The STP  24  may be a multi-port high speed packet switch that is programmed to respond to the routing information in the appropriate layer of the switching protocol and route the data packets to their intended destination. 
         [0017]    One of the intended destinations of the data packets from the STP  24  is a service control point (SCP)  28 . The STP  24  is in communication with the SCP  28  via a communication link  30 , which may also employ the SS7 switching protocol. The SCP  28  may be an intelligent database server such as, for example, an Intelligent Network Service Control Point available from Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, N.J., and may have associated with it a network database  32  for storing network data. The intelligent functionality of the SCP  28  may be realized by application programs, such as programmable Service Program Applications (SPA), which are run by the SCP  28 . The SCP  28  may be employed to implement high volume routing services, such as call forwarding and number portability translation and routing. In addition, another of the functions of the SCP  28  is hosting of the network database  32 , which may store subscriber information, such as subscriber call management profiles, used in providing enhanced calling services. 
         [0018]    The AIN  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  also includes a services node (SN)  34 . The SN  34  may be, for example, a Compact Services Node (CSN) available from Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, N.J., although the SN  34  may be any other type of available intelligent peripheral. The SN  34  may be connected to one or more of the SSP switches  12  via a communications link  36  which may be, for example, an Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN), including BRI (Basic Rate Interface) or PRI (Primary Rate Interface) lines. According to other embodiments, the communications link  36  may be, for example, a T-1 trunk circuit. 
         [0019]    In order to keep the processing of data and calls as simple as possible at the switches, such as at the SSP switches  12 , a set of triggers may be defined at the SSP switches  12  for each call. A trigger in an AIN is an event associated with a particular subscriber line  20  that generates a data packet to be sent from the SSP switch  12  servicing the particular subscriber line  20  to the SCP  28  via the STP  24 . The triggers may be originating triggers for calls originating from the subscriber premises or terminating triggers for calls terminating at the subscriber premises. A trigger causes a message in the form of a query to be sent from the SSP switch  12  to the SCP  28 . 
         [0020]    The SCP  28  in turn interrogates the database  32  to determine whether some customized call feature or enhanced service should be implemented for the particular call or whether conventional dial-up telephone service should be provided. The results of the database inquiry are sent back from the SCP  28  to the SSP switch  12  via the STP  24 . The return packet includes instructions to the SSP switch  12  as to how to process the call. The instructions may be to take some special action as a result of a customized calling service or enhanced feature. For example, for an enhanced calling feature requiring the capabilities of the SN  34 , the return message from the SCP  28  may include instructions for the SSP switch  12  to route the call to the SN  34 . In addition, the return message from the SCP  28  may simply be an indication that there is no entry in the database  32  that indicates anything other than conventional telephone service should be provided for the call. The query and return messages may be formatted, for example, according to conventional SS7 TCAP (Transaction Capabilities Application Part) formats. U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,568, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses additional details regarding the functioning of an AIN. 
         [0021]    The AIN  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes only one STP  24 , one SCP  28 , one network database  32 , and one SN  34 , although the AIN  10  may further include an additional number of these components as well as other network components which are not included in  FIG. 1  for purposes of clarity. For example, the AIN  10  may additionally include redundant SCPs and STPs to take over if the STP  24  or the SCP  28  should fail. In addition, the AIN  10  may include an Automatic Electronic Switching System (AESS) Network Access Point (NAP) in communication with the STP  24 , which may be programmed to detect the trigger conditions. Further, the AIN  10  may include regional STPs and regional SCPs in communication with, for example, the local STP  24 , for routing and servicing calls between different LECs. 
         [0022]    The present invention is directed, according to one embodiment, to a system for monitoring the health condition(s) of a patient such as, for example, pulse, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.  FIG. 2  is a diagram of a system  40  according to one such embodiment. For clarity, the communications links shown in  FIG. 2  that are used exclusively for signaling (e.g., no call data) are illustrated with dashed lines, and communications links that transfer signaling or call data are illustrated with solid lines. The system  40  includes a landline network  42  and a wireless network  44 . The landline network  42  includes portions of an AIN as described in conjunction with  FIG. 1 , including the CO SSP switches  12   a - c  (designated as “CO” in  FIG. 2  and referred to as “CO switch(es)” hereinafter), the STP  24 , the SCP  28 , and the SN  34 . The landline telephones  22   a,    22   b  are in communication with the switches  12   a,    12   b  via subscriber lines  20   a,    20   b,  respectively. For purposes of clarity, other elements of an AIN are not shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0023]    The wireless network  44  includes a mobile switching center (MSC)  46 , a base transceiver station (BTS)  48 , and a home location register (HLR)  50 . The MSC  46  is in communication with a wireless telecommunications device  52 , such as a wireless telephone, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , via the BTS  48 . The BTS  48  may communicate with wireless telecommunications device  52  according to an air-interface communication scheme  58  such as, for example, AMPS (ANSI-553), TDMA (IS-136), CDMA (IS-95), or GSM. The BTS  48  may be in communication with the MSC  46  via the communications link  54 . The MSC  46  is an automatic switching system in a wireless telecommunications network that acts as the interface for subscriber traffic between the wireless network  44  and the landline network  42  or other MSCs in the same or other wireless networks. The MSC  46  performs the same general function as a central office switch in a landline based system. In addition, the MSC  46  supports incoming calls through a radio telecommunications front-end, as well as handoff and roaming functions. Accordingly, the MSC  46  may include wireless IN functionality for detecting originating and terminating triggers (e.g. WIN and CAMEL). 
         [0024]    The MSC  46  may be in communication with the HLR  50  via a communications link  56  which may, for example, be an SS7 signaling protocol link. The HLR  50  is a location register to which the user identity of a wireless telecommunications device, such as the wireless telephone  52 , is assigned for record purposes. The HLR  50  may register subscriber information relating to wireless telecommunications devices such as, for example, profile information, current location, and authorization period. When the MSC  46  detects a wireless telecommunications device entering the MSC&#39;s service area, the MSC  46  performs a registration process that includes requesting subscriber profile information from either the HLR  50  or a visitor location register (VLR) (not shown), depending upon whether the wireless telephone  52  is within its home location or within a visitor location. For integrated wireless networks, the VLR assigned to the service area of a visiting wireless subscriber may be updated with information from the HLR associated with the wireless subscriber&#39;s wireless service provider (WSP). Accordingly, the MSC  46  servicing a particular area has access to information regarding each of the wireless users presently in its service area. In addition, the HLR  50  of the wireless network  44  may be in communication with the SCP  28  of the landline network  42 , via a communications link  68  employing, for example, the IS-41 signaling protocol. 
         [0025]    The landline network  42  additionally includes a tandem office  60 , which provides a switching interface between the landline network  42  and the wireless network  44 . The tandem office  60  may be in communication with the MSC  46  via a communications link  62 , which may be, for example, a trunk circuit or an ISDN. In addition, the tandem office  60  may be in communication with the CO switches (such as CO switches  12   b,    12   c  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 ) via communications links  64 ,  66  respectively, which may be, for example, trunk circuits. 
         [0026]    Also, the CO switches (such as the CO switch  12   c,  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 ). may be in communication with a services node (SN)  34  via a communications link  70 , which may be, for example, an Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN), including BRI (Basic Rate Interface) or PRI (Primary Rate Interface) lines. According to other embodiments, the communications link  70  may be, for example, a T-1 trunk circuit. 
         [0027]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the SN  34  executes programmable applications to access a server  78 , such as, for example, a web server, to provide either the wireless device  52  or the landline device  22   a,    22   b  with call specific information. The SN  34  then transmits such information to the wireless network  44  or the landline network  42 , via the tandem office  60 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the SN  34  may function as a voice/web gateway to allow the landline network  42  to access a network  310 , such as, for example, the Internet and an Internet service provider  74  via a communications link  72 , which may be, for example, a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) connection. Also, the Internet service provider  74  may be in communication with the server  78  and its corresponding database  80 , via a communications link  76 , which may be, for example, another TCP/IP connection. In another embodiment, the SN  34  may be located in the wireless network  44 . 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, where the personal health monitoring service is provided as a subscriber service by a telecommunications provider, the SN  34  may execute programmable applications to access the server database  80  to provide, for example, audio, video, graphics, and/or text files that include medical treatment information and/or medical advice concerning the subscriber&#39;s health condition. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a system  300  according to one embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, a local server  302  may be located, for example, at a subscriber&#39;s  312  residence or workplace  314 . The local server  302  may include, for example, a personal computer  306  that provides network addressing and routing and functions as a gateway between the home/workplace  314  and a network  310  such as, for example, the Internet. In addition, the local server  302  may, for example, also include one or more base station transceivers  304  that are configured to transmit and receive signals to and from a monitoring device  308  that may be worn by the subscriber  312 . In one embodiment, the subscriber  312  may, for example, wear the monitoring device  308  around his/her wrist or neck similar to a wristwatch or necklace. In another embodiment, the subscriber  312  may attach the monitoring device  308  to his/her clothing such as, for example, attaching the monitoring device  308  to his/her belt, sock, pants or shirt. 
         [0030]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, a signal  316  received by the base station transceiver  304  from the monitoring device  308  may, for example, include data regarding pulse, blood pressure, blood sugar level or any other parameter that a. physician may establish for the subscriber  312  such as, for example, an electrocardiogram. According to this embodiment, the base station transceiver  304  may, for example, be coupled to the personal computer  306  via a wire or wireless communications link  324 . The personal computer  306  may, therefore, receive the data from the base station transceiver  304  and process, store, and/or relay the data to a server  78 , which may be configured as a health monitoring server, via a dialup or permanent connection to the network  310 . 
         [0031]    In one embodiment, the communications link  324  may be a wired connection such as, for example, conventional twisted pair copper wire or a coaxial cable connection. Alternatively, communications link  324  may be implemented as a wireless connection such as, for example, IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN or Bluetooth technologies. 
         [0032]    In another embodiment, the system  300  may include a communications link  20  that may be conventional twisted pair loop circuits (i.e. Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)), trunk circuits, such as T-1 trunk circuits, a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). In addition, a service node  34  (not shown) included in the wireless/wireline network  42 ,  44  may function as a voice/web gateway to allow the wireless/wireline network  42 ,  44  to access an Internet service provider (not shown) via a communications link  72 , which may be, for example, a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) connection. 
         [0033]    In one embodiment, the Internet service provider may, for example, be in communication with the server  78  via a communications link  76 , which may be, for example, another TCP/IP connection. According to this embodiment, the server  78  may include a database  80  that is configured to store numerical ranges that identify acceptable and unacceptable health condition(s) for the subscriber  312 . In another embodiment, the server  78  may also be configured to compare the predefined ranges with the current health condition readings obtained from the monitoring device  308 . 
         [0034]    In yet another embodiment, the personal computer  306  may receive information from the server  78 , via communications link  20 . According to this embodiment, the personal computer  306  may relay such information to the base station transceiver  304  which may in turn transmit the signal  316  to the monitoring device  308 . In one embodiment, the signal  316  may include data such as, for example, text messages involving medical instructions that can be displayed on the monitoring device  308 . In addition, the data may, for example, be in a short message service (SMS) format or a multimedia message service (MMS). According to this embodiment, the signal may include, for example, text, voice, data and/or video messages involving medical instructions and/or notifications that alert or advise the subscriber  312  of a possible medical emergency. In another embodiment, the signal  316  may, for example, also cause a red or orange light on the monitoring device  308  to illuminate. 
         [0035]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wireless network connectivity (depicted as signal  316 ) between the monitoring device  308  and the base station transceiver  304  and the wireless network connectivity (depicted as communications link  324 ) between the base station transceiver  304  and the personal computer  306  may be accomplished using radio frequencies (RF) such as, for example, IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN or Bluetooth technologies. The IEEE 802.11 standard defines the protocol for two types of networks: ad hoc and client/server networks. An ad hoc network may be a network in which communications are established between multiple stations in a given coverage area without the use of an access point or server. The standard specifies the etiquette that each station must observe so that all stations have fair access to the wireless media. It provides methods for arbitrating requests to use the media to ensure that throughput is maximized for all subscribers in the base service set. The client/server network uses an access point that controls the allocation of transmit time for all stations and allows mobile stations to roam from cell to cell. The access point is used to handle traffic from the mobile radio to the wired or wireless backbone of the client/server network. This arrangement allows for point coordination of all of the stations in the basic service area and ensures proper handling of the data traffic. The access point routes data between wireless stations or to and from the network server. 
         [0036]    Bluetooth radio technology provides a universal bridge to existing data networks, a peripheral interface, and a mechanism to form small private ad hoc: groupings of connected devices away from fixed network infrastructures. Designed to operate in an RF environment, the Bluetooth radio uses a fast-acknowledgment and frequency-hopping scheme to make a robust link between a data network and a peripheral interface. In addition, Bluetooth radio modules may avoid interference from other signals by hopping to a new frequency after transmitting or receiving a data packet. 
         [0037]    In another embodiment of the present invention, the server  78  may transmit a signal, via the network  310  and the wireless/wireline network  42 ,  44 , to one or more communications devices  22   a  associated with the subscriber&#39;s home/workplace  314  and/or one or more communications devices  22   b  associated with an emergency contact(s)  322 . In one embodiment, communications devices  22   a  and  22   b  may, for example, include a POTS telephone, as shown in  FIG. 3 , or, in other embodiments, communications devices  22   a  and  22   b  may include, for example, a personal computer, telecopier, wireless telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or a pager. 
         [0038]    In one embodiment, the wireless network  44  may communicate with the communications devices  22   a  and  22   b  according to an air-interface communication scheme  58  such as, for example, AMPS (ANSI-553), TDMA (IS-136), CDMA (IS-95), or GSM. In another embodiment, the wireline network  42  may communicate with communications devices  22   a  and  22   b  via communications links  20   a  and  20   b,  which may be conventional twisted pair loop circuits (i.e. Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)), trunk circuits, such as T-1 trunk circuits, a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). 
         [0039]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, the signal transmitted from the server  78  to the communications devices  20   a  and  20   b  may, for example, be in a short message service (SMS) format or a multimedia message service (MMS) format. According to this embodiment, the signal may include, for example, text, voice, data and/or video messages involving medical instructions and/or notifications that alert or advise the subscriber  312  and/or the emergency contact  322  of a possible medical emergency. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are flowcharts illustrating an embodiment of a process performed by the system  300  shown in  FIG. 3 . At step  400 , the subscribing patient  312  and medical personnel, such as, for example, a physician or nurse, access the server  78 . At step  402 , the subscribing patient  312  enters into the database  80  of the server  78  a list of emergency contacts  322  and their associated contact information such as, for example, the email address or the telephone, facsimile, and/or pager number(s) of a doctor, ambulance service, neighbor, relative, the subscribing patient&#39;s  312  home/work place, etc. 
         [0041]    In addition, medical personnel may, at step  404 , enter into the database  80  the health condition(s) to be monitored and the time intervals in which to monitor them. Medical personnel may also enter ranges that define acceptable and unacceptable health levels as well as varying alert conditions that result from readings that do not fall within a predefined range. For example, the health condition of the subscribing patient  312  may be defined by measuring and recording a quantifiable parameter such as, for example, pulse, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol and then comparing the recorded measurement against the predefined range that a physician may establish for the subscribing patient  312 . If the recorded measurement (i.e. the health condition reading) is within the predefined range, the patient&#39;s health may be considered satisfactory. In contrast, a health condition reading that falls outside the predefined range may trigger, for example, an orange or red alert (discussed below) that may cause a physician to further explore the nonconforming reading and ultimately prescribe medical treatment. 
         [0042]    Once the subscribing patient  312  and medical personnel input the necessary information into the database  80 , the monitoring device  308  may continually monitor the subscribing patient&#39;s  312  health condition identified by medical personnel in step  404  and relay, at defined time intervals, the health condition readings to the local server  302 , as shown by step  406 . 
         [0043]    At step  408 , the local server  302 , may then receive, process and/or relay the health condition readings to the server  78 . After receiving the health condition readings, the server  78 , at step  410 , may then compare the readings with the ranges that medical personnel defined in step  404 . As shown at step  412 , the server  78  then identifies if an alert condition exists. If the health condition reading is within the predefined range, no alert condition exists, and the task is complete at step  414 . However, if the health condition reading is not within the predefined range, an alert condition exists and the process proceeds to step  416 . 
         [0044]    At step  416 , the server  78  may further define the alert condition identified in step  412  to be, for example, an orange or red alert condition. In one embodiment of the present invention, an orange alert may occur if the health condition reading is slightly above or below the predefined range such that the reading falls within other ranges that medical personnel have defined to be an orange alert condition. In such case, the server  78  may, as shown by step  418 , initiate a communication with the subscribing patient  312 , via the health monitoring device  308  and/or the communications device  22   a.  According to one embodiment, the communication may, for example, involve illuminating an orange light on the monitoring device  308  and/or delivering one or more voice, data, text, or graphic messages to the monitoring device  308  and/or the communications device  22   a  that provide the subscribing patient  312  with medical instructions such as, for example, “you have been stressed, relax and take your prescribed medication.” 
         [0045]    In another embodiment of the present invention, a red alert may occur if the health condition reading is drastically above or below the predefined range such that the reading falls within other ranges that medical personnel have defined to be a red alert condition. In such case, the server  78  may, as shown by step  420 , initiate a communication with or between the subscribing patient  312  and one or more emergency contacts  322 , via the health monitoring device  308  and/or communications devices  22   a  and  22   b.  According to one embodiment, the communication may, for example, involve illuminating a red light on the monitoring device  308  and/or delivering one or more voice, data, text, or graphic messages to the monitoring device  308  and/or the communications devices  22   a  and  22   b  that may provide medical information and advice to the subscribing patient  312  and/or the emergency contact  322 . 
         [0046]    The various methods described hereinabove may be implemented on any type of suitable computer hardware, computer software, or combinations thereof. For example, the methods may be implemented in computer software using any suitable computer software language type such as, for example, C or C++ using, for example, conventional or object-oriented techniques. Such software may be stored on any type of suitable computer-readable medium or media such as, for example, a magnetic or optical storage medium. 
         [0047]    While several embodiments of the invention have been described, it should be apparent, however, that various modifications, alterations and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to persons skilled in the art with the attainment of some or all of the advantages of the present invention. It is therefore intended to cover all such modifications, alterations and adaptations without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.