Clinical Remote Use Actions
Remote use is a method by which clinicians can allow clients to train at home and still have control over the number of sessions and treatment period. In EEGer, the clinician provides a session plan which is ALWAYS used for a session (independent of any local editing done by a client). The limitations are contained on a removable device which the end user must have to run a session (along with a dongle and license!).
The EEGer method for remote use is somewhat complex due to the additional amount of data recorded by EEGer. Remote users in EEGer require a removable storage device with storage capacity in the range of 30 megabytes to 1500 megabytes. Typically, a USB flash memory of some kind is used. EACH remote user must have his/her own storage device (although multiple protocol classes can coexist for a single client).
Selecting Initialize EEGer remote use storage device brings up a client selection window.
After a client is selected, the computer is searched for a suitable storage device. The following menu then pops up to allow the clinician to specify the storage device.
Notice that the H: drive (in this example) contains a suitable device. Also, notice the rescan button which performs another scan (in case you forgot to plug in the USB storage device). A drive is selected by clicking on it.
Then the drive is examined for its contents. If it contains a valid EEGer storage device structure and client, a test is made for any data stored on it. In normal use the client would bring the device back to the clinician at intervals (for more sessions or a time extension). It is at this time that the option of copying the data back from the storage device to the therapist machine is given:
If there is NOT a valid structure/data on the storage device or after retrieving the data, a cautionary menu pops up:
CAUTION: this process really DOES completely and permanently erase the contents of the drive. If you say Cancel, you get a message like this:
and the process terminates without erasing the storage device.
The device is now initialized with the basic client data. At this time, the clinician selects which protocol classes to permit the remote user to use. Each protocol class enable file embeds the
CURRENT session plan for the selected client, class, and layout.
After a protocol class is selected, the layout must be selected:
Once the layout has been chosen, the limitations must be selected:
An expiration date is REQUIRED. The client dongle number must be known (but is remembered once you enter it). Checking the "Frequency cannot be changed" or "Reward or feedback mode cannot be changed" checkboxes means that the remote client cannot alter the session-plan setup values. If the "ALLOW user to change session plan" options is checked, the remote user will be allowed to alter the session plan at the remote computer (and have it used).
The process of selecting a protocol class and layout can be repeated for different protocol classes. Of course, only the LAST selection for a protocol class is saved. When done, press the Done button on the class selection menu and you will get the following message:
The last remote use option is a method of building the session plan/expiration date/session count files so they could be mailed/emailed to a remote client if they cannot get to the clinician's office.
Selecting this option is very similar to the Initialize option except that no storage device is involved. After selecting a client, the process goes immediately to the protocol class selection screen (and layout screen) and the same limitation screen. Upon completion, the following message will be seen:
The clinician will discover a file named remotedonglenumber_yymmddhhmm.EKR (where remotedonglenumber is the user's dongle number and the yy... number makes for uniqueness) on the computer desktop. The filename thus does NOT contain any client-identifying data although the internal contents of the .EKR file does (client name and birthdate). Please observe HIPAA rules. This file is designed to be transferable over email and is read and verified by EEGer itself.
Selecting the "Check status of EEGer remote use drive" option allows the clinician to display the status of a remote drive in a message box like this:
Selecting "Create code for telephone update of remote sessions" brings up the following dialog:
The therapist enters the code from the remote client in the top box. When the entered code is valid (no transposed digits, etc.), the "Validate" button will become active. Pressing that button decodes the data from the user showing how many remote sessions are remaining and the remote session expiration date. Also, the dongle number, number of dongle sessions, and the client software version is displayed. Assuming the data was really valid, the clinician can now enter additional remote sessions and/or and extended expiration date. Clicking on "Generate client code" causes a reply code to be generated (the above sample shows "nocode" right now). The 26-character code must be read back to the remote client for entry into the client's request screen.
If the client response was "Failure", please verify the codes again. It may be necessary for the client to re-initiate the request option and generate a new code (which must then be entered in the top box and the validate button pressed again). You can see if new sessions were added or the date extended.
Selecting the "Retrieve EEGer remote use data" option will allow selection of the remote device and retrieval of any data on the device just as is automatically done when a new remote device initialization is done (as described above).