Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operation of a sleep-lab. A central processor provides connectivity between sleep-lab personnel, sleep-lab equipment, monitoring and analysis personnel and the patient. The sleep-lab supports at-home treatment and diagnostics, monitor-only sleep labs, and conventional sleep-labs. Monitoring and analysis, performed by the real-time monitor, scorer and over-reader, interpreter, and follow-up analyst, may be performed at a central location or disbursed throughout the world to take advantage of time-shifting and/or other resources. A central processor provides security and connectivity to facilitate the data exchange between data sources and monitoring and analysis facilities. A sleep-lab communication protocol helps to ensure a loss-less transfer of data over an interruptible network connection. A sleep-lab interface provides data conversion and accounting processes.

Abstract: A medical information management system and method that stores and manages patient information and that enables a patient and an authorized third party, such as a friend or family member, to access the patient's medical information. The presentation format, substance of the patient's medical information provided, or both are customized depending on whether the patient, a healthcare professional or the third party is accessing the patient's medical information. The present invention also pertains to a method of subsidizing such a medical information system by selling advertising space in the presentation shown to the third party, patient, or the healthcare professional. The present invention further pertains to a patient interface appliance that includes a display containing multiple viewing fields, one of which is a general information field and one of which is an advertising field, to present information and advertisements to a user during a patient interactive session.