Patent ID: 7127300

Claim:
An apparatus for enabling data communication between an implantable medical device and a host computer, comprising: a central processing unit; a memory; and a transceiver capable of communicating with the implantable medical device via a short range wireless communications link; an input and output interface capable of interfacing with a communications device and establishing a communication link with the host computer via the communications device; and a program capable of executing on the central processing unit operative to: store a serial number corresponding to the implantable medical device in the memory, transmit the serial number to the implantable medical device as a part of an authentication procedure, receive clinical data stored in the implantable medical device via the short range wireless communications link, determine whether clinical data is stored in the memory, in response to determining that clinical data is stored in the memory, establish the communications link with the host computer via the communications device, and transmit the clinical data to the host computer.