Patent ID: 8480641

Claim:
A method of treating a wound comprising: providing a wound treatment apparatus having a negative pressure source, a bandage configured to cover the wound and provide a sealed region around a perimeter of the wound, at least one drainage tube coupled to the bandage and the negative pressure source, a controller coupled to the negative pressure source, and a data collector coupled to the at least one drainage tube and the controller; transmitting data collected by the data collector from the controller of the wound treatment apparatus to at least one of a caregiver's computer and an insurance company's computer at a remote location via a communication network; receiving a reimbursement authorization from the insurance company's computer at the controller of the wound treatment apparatus via the communication network based on data transmitted from the controller of the wound treatment apparatus to an insurance company's computer at a remote location via the communication network; and beginning a treatment therapy using the controller of the wound treatment apparatus after receipt of the authorization from the insurance company's computer.