Method and system for creation of an integrated medical record via a communications computer network

• US 20020022972A1
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John B. Costello
• Original Assignee: John B. Costello
• Inventors: Costello, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/837,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022972A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A method and system for single form and single click creation of a patient visit medical record via the Internet (Online Medical Record—OMR) this is simultaneously integrated with the financial requirements of the healthcare provider. There are two components to a patient visit: 1) the medical data needed to care for the patient, and 2) the financial data required to pay for the services. The system of this invention provides for better work flow in processing both medical data, patient care, and financial coverage. The first step includes a single page creation of the OMR visit form. The OMR is hosted on a server, presented over the Internet as a single scrollable HTML page, and filled in at the user'"'"'s location. The second procedure is that the foregoing page contains in juxtaposition and for use drop down lists (DDLs), List Boxes (LBs), Text Entry Boxes, Profile function buttons, and search function buttons built into the page at the point of need to facilitate data entry and work flow. The third procedure is the joining on this same page of both the medical data and the financial data related to the medical visit. The diagnosis and plan section of the medical visit includes the visit CPT coes, the ICD9 diagnosis codes, in-house procedure codes, outside procedure codes, outside lab or health care provider, medication prescribed, pharmacies selected, referred provider, notes concerning the visit and return times schedule. This same medical data is required for billing information, i.e., the visit/CPT charges, procedure changes, ICD-9 data, and related numeric value charges. The data that is embodied in the medical visit is also available for outside services to direct the care of the patient, i.e., tests, prescriptions or referral. The fourth procedure of the system is that in response to a single selection of the SAVE button, the client system sends all the medical and financial data to the server system. The server system receives the information, updates the OMR, and initiates all medical and financial processes and updates pertinent queues for further processing.

Claims

1. A method and system for creation of an integrated medical patient'"'"'s record via a communications computer network, including providing a record of standard patient personal and medical history and capable of receiving data pertaining to a specific visit for the patient being treated;

inputting data relative to the personal history of the specific patient to be examined and treated;

inputting data relative to specific medical information determined during the specific patient'"'"'s examination and visit;

providing a record of the patient'"'"'s diagnosis, studies and treatment during this specific patient visit;

calculating the financial obligations for the specific patient'"'"'s examination and visit;

providing a single page record for the diagnosis, studies ordered, and treatment for that patient'"'"'s specific visit;

providing on the same single page record a statement of the patient'"'"'s and provider'"'"'s financial obligations for the examination and visit; and

storing in memory the statement of the patient'"'"'s medical history for the visit, and the financial obligations of the patient and provider for the specific patient visit.

2. The method of claim 1 and including transmitting through a communications network to the insurance provider its financial obligation for the specific patient'"'"'s examination, treatment, and visit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of inputting data relative to the patient'"'"'s examination including inputting information for recording relating to the physical examination, inputting data relative to the patient'"'"'s explanation of symptoms of the present illness, recording information relative to the practitioner'"'"'s diagnosis, studies and tests ordered, and treatments to be given.

4. The method of claim 3 and including providing in the step of calculating the financial obligation a determination of the specific charges, payments made, and the balance due relative to the patient'"'"'s examination, treatment and visit.

5. The method of claim 4 and including inputting information relative to any outside office tests conducted, the location of the outside office processes, any prescription medication prescribed, the location of any prescription medication obtained, any referral to other specialists for further treatment, and the location of the other specialist, and further examinations, treatments, and visits scheduled for the specific patient.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of storing in memory includes the provision of initiating a save record button for preserving upon a single record of the medical and financial data relative to the specific patient under medical investigation and treatment.

7. A system for creation of an integrated medical record via a communications computer network, comprising:

means for recording the scheduling of a patient'"'"'s visit, means for recording data relative to the patient'"'"'s clinical visit, including means for recording the history of the patient and entering data relative to the physical examination of the patient, and means for recording data relating to the diagnosis, testing, and treatment planning for the patient, and means for scheduling the sign-out of the patient, and means for recording the establishment of next visit date, and means for scheduling the studies and referrals relating to the patient;

means for recording data relative to the financial information pertaining to the patient'"'"'s clinical visit, including means for gathering and verifying the patient'"'"'s insurance coverage information, means for recording data relative to the patient'"'"'s visit and treatment upon the charge sheet records establishing the charges for the patient'"'"'s visit, means for entering said financial data for the visit into a billing system, means for recording the data into the patient'"'"'s ledger, listing of the patient'"'"'s charges, and payments to date, and means for generating a statement to the patient for the balance due from the ledger relative to the current and previous visits; and

means for electronically forwarding upon the computer the data relative to the patient'"'"'s most current visit, transmitting data to the insurance provider, relative to the services conducted for that visit, and means for processing upon the computer the financial statement, payments made thereto, and the amount of patient billings in arrears for collection.

8. A method and system for creation of an integrated medical patient'"'"'s record via a computer, including providing a record of standard patient personal and medical history, and which is capable of receiving data pertaining to a specific visit for the patient being treated;

inputting data relative to the personal history of the specific patient to be examined and treated;

inputting data relative to specific medical information determined during the specific patient'"'"'s examination and visit;

inputting data relative to the patient'"'"'s diagnosis, studies, treatment and visit charge during that specific patient visit, and inputting the financial requirements needed for medical coverage by the patient'"'"'s insurance provider and the patient;

deriving and calculating the financial obligations regarding the patient'"'"'s diagnosis, studies, treatment, and visit charges for determining the patient and insurance provider financial obligations;

providing a single page record for said diagnosis, studies, treatment, and examination, and the financial obligations determined for that patient'"'"'s specific visit; and

storing electronically in memory the statement of the patient'"'"'s medical history for the visit, and the financial obligations of the patient and provider for that specific patient visit.

9. The method of claim 8 and including the step of inputting data relative to the physician'"'"'s visit code categorizing the charges made relative to the type of diagnostic study, treatment, and diagnosis provided by the physician for specific patient visit.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the providing of a record of the patient'"'"'s diagnostic studies, and diagnosis and the determination of the financial requirements of the allowed medical coverage for the patient'"'"'s visit are created in a single step by the system.