A system for managing power consumption of a handheld medical device, the system comprising: a temperature sensor that senses an internal temperature of the handheld medical device; a port that receives a removable measurement strip having a reaction site for receiving a blood sample of a substance for measuring a health parameter of a patient; a blood glucose measuring module that measures blood glucose in the blood sample and generates a status signal indicating a status of operation of the blood glucose measuring module, a thermal modeling module that uses a thermal model to estimate an ambient temperature proximate to the reaction site based on the internal temperature; characterised by a power management module that is adapted for deactivating one or more components of the handheld medical device when the ambient temperature exceeds a threshold temperature, wherein the one or more components include: a first communication module that communicates with a first device external to the handheld medical device using a first communication protocol, wherein the first device performs a first function associated with a patient, and wherein the first function has a first priority, and a second communication module that communicates via a wireless communication link with a second device external to the handheld medical device using a second communication protocol, wherein the second device performs a second function associated with the patient, and wherein the second function has a second priority that is lower than the first priority. wherein the power management module is adapted for deactivating the second communication module before deactivating the first communication module. a temperature sensor that senses an internal temperature of the handheld medical device; a port that receives a removable measurement strip having a reaction site for receiving a blood sample of a substance for measuring a health parameter of a patient; a blood glucose measuring module that measures blood glucose in the blood sample and generates a status signal indicating a status of operation of the blood glucose measuring module, a thermal modeling module that uses a thermal model to estimate an ambient temperature proximate to the reaction site based on the internal temperature; characterised by a power management module that is adapted for deactivating one or more components of the handheld medical device when the ambient temperature exceeds a threshold temperature, wherein the one or more components include: a first communication module that communicates with a first device external to the handheld medical device using a first communication protocol, wherein the first device performs a first function associated with a patient, and wherein the first function has a first priority, and a second communication module that communicates via a wireless communication link with a second device external to the handheld medical device using a second communication protocol, wherein the second device performs a second function associated with the patient, and wherein the second function has a second priority that is lower than the first priority. wherein the power management module is adapted for deactivating the second communication module before deactivating the first communication module. a first communication module that communicates with a first device external to the handheld medical device using a first communication protocol, wherein the first device performs a first function associated with a patient, and wherein the first function has a first priority, and a second communication module that communicates via a wireless communication link with a second device external to the handheld medical device using a second communication protocol, wherein the second device performs a second function associated with the patient, and wherein the second function has a second priority that is lower than the first priority. wherein the power management module is adapted for deactivating the second communication module before deactivating the first communication module.