Patent ID: 8438038

Claim:
A method of monitoring a patient having a patient monitoring apparatus that is configured to weigh the patient, present queries to the patient, receive nonverbal answers from the patient, and electronically communicate that information to a remotely located central computer, the method comprising: pre-programming the patient monitoring apparatus before providing the patient monitoring apparatus to the patient with a plurality of question hierarchies, wherein each question hierarchy includes a plurality of questions and a corresponding identifier; storing a patient's first weight at the central computer; receiving in the central computer from the patient monitoring apparatus information regarding the patient's second weight and second time of the second weight; storing in the central computer the patient's second weight and second time; calculating, by the central computer, a change in the patient's weight between the second weight and the previously stored first weight; comparing, by the central computer, the change in the patient's weight to a threshold change in the patient's weight; triggering an alert by the central computer when the change in the patient's weight exceeds the threshold change in the patient's weight; transmitting to the patient monitoring apparatus: a first identifier corresponding to a first question hierarchy in the plurality of question hierarchies; and a sequence set, wherein the sequence set is a set of data defining an order in which a first group of questions in the first question hierarchy is to be asked by the patient monitoring apparatus to the patient; causing the patient monitoring apparatus to query the first group of questions to the patient based on the order defined by the sequence set; receiving in the central computer non-verbal responses from the patient to the first group of questions; and notifying a caregiver of the alert and sending the responses to the caregiver, wherein the patient's first and second weights, the first group of questions, and the non-verbal responses are automatically displayed to the caregiver only when the alert is triggered; whereby the caregiver can review the alert and the patient's answers to determine if the patient requires medical treatment; whereby the caregiver can select a second group of questions from the plurality of question hierarchies for presentation to the patient; and whereby the caregiver can cause the patient monitoring apparatus to query the second group of questions to the patient.