Prescription system for unregulated therapeutic substances

• US 20020156651A1
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Richard L. Michaels, Vito V. Florio
• Original Assignee: Richard L. Michaels, Vito V. Florio
• Inventors: Florio, Vito V., Michaels, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US09/837,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20020156651A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/90 relating to alternative medicines, e.g. homeopathy or oriental medicines

Abstract

A system and method for coordinated evaluation and prescription of unregulated therapeutic substances in a supervised medical environment, wherein the unregulated therapeutic substances, derived from natural products, are initially qualified as a therapeutic option to traditional prescription and OTC medicines. The implementation of the system and method of qualification and prescription of unregulated therapeutic substances is performed within the context of a mainstream medical care environment comprising an established health care management system wherein patient subscribers, within a given system, elect to participate in a trial evaluation under the supervision of the medical professional responsible for their care. Upon successful completion of the evaluation, the patient is empowered, with his medical professional'"'"'s approval, to adopt the unregulated therapeutic substances for treatment of his illness or condition, and the established health care management system is obligated to reimburse such patient for such unregulated therapeutic substances.

Claims

1. In a mainstream medical care environment having employee physicians or affiliate medical professionals for delivery of health care services to a patient population wherein a number of said patients are being treated with a limited number of approved traditional therapeutic medicines in accordance established therapeutic regimens for such approved traditional therapeutic medicines,

wherein the improvement comprises:

A. Providing a mainstream medical care environment comprising an established health care management system staffed by employee physicians or affiliate medical professionals having responsibility for treatment of a defined patient population, or patient subscribers, with traditional medicines for a given medical condition;

B. Means for identification of an unregulated, therapeutic substance, as a natural for treatment of said given medical condition within said established health care management system;

C. Means for alerting said employee physicians or affiliate medical professionals responsible for overseeing the care of patients for said given medical condition, of the availability for evaluation, within said established health care management system, of said therapeutic substance as an natural treatment of said given medical illness or condition;

D. Means for soliciting said employee physicians or affiliate medical professionals, and their patients suffering from said given medical illness or condition, to participate, within said established health care management system, in said evaluation of said therapeutic substance;

E. Means for qualifying said patients, within said established health care management system, for participation in said evaluation of said therapeutic substance within said established health care management system;

F. Means for administering said therapeutic substance, within said established health care management system, in accordance with an natural therapeutic treatment regimen, under supervision of said medical professional; and

G. Means for monitoring patient response to said therapeutic substance, within said established health care management system, and if efficacious in said natural therapeutic regimen, empowering said patient to specify said therapeutic substance as an natural treatment for his medical illness or condition.

2. The improved mainstream, health care management system of claim 1, wherein said established health care management system includes means for periodically collecting and cataloging data of patient response to said natural therapeutic regimen over the course of such evaluation.

3. The improved mainstream, health care management system of claim 2, wherein said established health care management system includes means for disseminating, to medical professional and patient, up to date technical and product information related to said given medical condition.

4. The improved mainstream, health care management system of claim 1, wherein said established health care management system includes means for supply of said natural therapeutic to patients pursuant to a prescription for said natural therapeutic regimen.

5. The improved mainstream, health care management system of claim 1, wherein said mainstream, health care management system provides for patient reimbursement or insurance coverage for said natural therapeutic dispensed pursuant to a prescription written by said medical professional.

6. In a method for prescription of an unregulated, natural substance, or an unregulated derivative of a natural substance, as an natural therapeutic for treatment of said given medical condition within a mainstream medical care environment, the improvement comprising:

A. Providing a mainstream medical care environment comprising an established health care management system staffed by employee physicians or affiliate medical professionals having responsibility for treatment of a defined patient population, or patient subscribers, with traditional medicines for a given medical condition;

B. Identifying an unregulated, therapeutic substance, as a natural for treatment of said given medical condition within said established health care management system;

C. Alerting said employee physicians or affiliate medical professionals responsible for overseeing the care of patients for said given medical condition, of the availability for evaluation, within said established health care management system, of said therapeutic substance as an natural treatment of said given medical illness or condition;

D. Soliciting said employee physicians or affiliate medical professionals, and their patients suffering from said given medical illness or condition, to participate, within said established health care management system, in said evaluation of said therapeutic substance;

E. Qualifying said patients, within said established health care management system, for participation in said evaluation of said therapeutic substance within said established health care management system;

F. Administering said therapeutic substance, within said established health care management system, in accordance with an natural therapeutic treatment regimen, under supervision of said medical professional; and

G. Monitoring patient response to said therapeutic substance, within said established health care management system, and if efficacious in said natural therapeutic regimen, empowering said patient to specify said therapeutic substance as an natural treatment for his medical illness or condition.

7. In a method for control of the indiscriminate use of an unregulated natural substance and/or a derivative of a natural substance in the treatment of an illness or medical condition, the improvement comprising:

A. Providing a mainstream medical environment for evaluation of safety and efficacy of unregulated natural substance and/or a derivative of a natural substance, wherein a patient suffering from an illness or medical condition is initially evaluated within said environment to determine said substance'"'"'s potential suitability for treatment of said patient;

B. Prescription of said substance within said environment by a medical professional for treatment of said patient in accordance with a treatment regimen specific for said patient; and

C. Periodic evaluation of said patient response to said substance by said medical professional.