Patent ID: RE43767

Claim:
A method of monitoring a patient, comprising the steps of providing a monitoring apparatus including a remote monitoring unit associated with the patient, the remote monitoring unit including a sensor that measures a physiological characteristic of the patient, a central unit, and a communications device which selectively establishes a communications link between the remote monitoring unit and the central unit; the remote monitoring unit obtaining a monitored data set for the patient; the remote monitoring unit analyzing the monitored data set to obtain a derived data set from the monitored data set; the remote monitoring unit determining from the derived data set that communication with the central unit is required; establishing a communications link with the central unit; the remote monitoring unit transmitting to the central unit an initially transmitted data set related to the monitored data set; the central unit analyzing the initially transmitted data set to determine whether an additional data set related to the monitored data set is required to be transmitted by the remote monitoring unit ; and the central unit , when the additional data set related to the monitored data set is required, instructing the remote monitoring unit as to any that the additional transmitted data set related to the monitored data set that is to be transmitted from the remote monitoring unit to the central unit and as to a time at which the additional transmitted data set is to be transmitted based on the condition sensed initially transmitted data set received from the remote monitoring unit .