A system and method is described that enables a health care provider to
monitor and manage a health condition of a patient. The system includes a
health care provider apparatus operated by a health care provider and a
remotely programmable patient apparatus that is operated by a patient.
The health care provider develops a script program using the health care
provider apparatus and then sends the script program to a remotely
programmable patient apparatus through a communication network such as
the World Wide Web. The script program is a computer-executable patient
protocol that provides information to the patient about the patient's
health condition and that interactively monitors the patient health
condition by asking the patient questions and by receiving answers to
those questions. The answers to these health related questions are then
forwarded as patient data from the remotely programmable patient
apparatus to the health care provider apparatus through the communication
network. The patient data may also include information supplied by a
physiological monitoring device such as a blood glucose monitor that is
connected to the remotely programmable patient apparatus. When the
patient data arrives at the health care provider apparatus, the patient
data is processed for further management of the patient's health
condition by the health care provider, such as forwarding another script
program to the remotely programmable patient apparatus.