Patent ID: 7840277

Claim:
An implantable medical device (IMD) treatment system which allows a patient with an IMD prompt access to a medical professional who can remotely monitor and treat a medical condition, said system comprising, in combination: (a) a central station comprising: (1) a display device for displaying medical information from a patient for evaluation by said medical professional; (2) a first input device, responsive to said medical professional, for producing a first patient treatment control signal for controlling the treatment of said patient; and (3) a first transmitting/receiving (T/R) device, coupled to said display device and to said first input device, for electronic communication with an IMD disposed at each of a plurality of remote sites; and (b) an IMD disposed at each of a plurality of remote sites and including: (1) a second transmitting/receiving (T/R) device for electronic communication with said first T/R device of said central station; (2) a patient treatment device, having a control input coupled to said second T/R device, for providing medical treatment to a patient in response to said first patient treatment control signal received at said treatment device control input; (3) a logic device for automatic control of the patient treatment device, said logic device having a logic device input and being coupled to the second T/R device and to the control input of said patient treatment device, said logic device automatically producing a second patient treatment control signal for controlling the treatment of said patient, in the absence of proper and timely communication between said first T/R device and said second T/R device, in dependence upon at least one sensor signal received at said logic device input; (4) a sensor circuit, having at least one sensor circuit input, for producing a sensor signal at a sensor circuit output coupled to said second T/R device and to said logic device input; and (5) at least one sensor, each coupled to said sensor circuit input and adapted to sense a physiologic state of said patient and produce a sensor signal in response to said physiologic state; wherein said sensor signal may be transmitted from said at least one sensor via said sensor circuit to said central station for evaluation and subsequent action by said medical professional; wherein said first patient treatment control signal may be transmitted from said central station to said control input of said treatment device; wherein in response thereto, said treatment device is operative to treat said patient; and wherein, in the absence of proper and timely communication between said first T/R device and said second T/R device, said treatment device is responsive to said second treatment control signal received from said logic device to treat said patient.