Method and system for healthcare management
First Claim
1. A method for healthcare management comprising:
- issuing to each insured an electronic identity card containing sufficient information to identify the insured;
providing a database containing personal, medical and healthcare funding information for each insured;
providing a means for secure access of the database using information from the identity card;
enabling each healthcare provider to electronically access the database to update information therein and to transmit information to enable the insured to obtain healthcare from multiple, independent healthcare providers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention addresses many of the issues of the existing healthcare management system by providing each insured with an electronically readable identity card or smartcard 16, which includes a memory device that identifies the insured, the insured'"'"'s insurance carrier and may include the insured'"'"'s photograph. The card 16 provides access to a database 22 maintained by the card issuer which includes such records 23 as the insured'"'"'s current medical history and insurance coverage. Each facility used by an insured will have access to the database 22 for that facility'"'"'s special needs, i.e., an emergency room would have access to the insured'"'"'s medical history and drug use but not to financial data. A card reader 13 at each such location has appropriate hardware and software to allow the card reader to access the database and return information to a viewer, such as a computer monitor, to allow the user to view information about the insured.
52 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for healthcare management comprising:
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issuing to each insured an electronic identity card containing sufficient information to identify the insured;
providing a database containing personal, medical and healthcare funding information for each insured;
providing a means for secure access of the database using information from the identity card;
enabling each healthcare provider to electronically access the database to update information therein and to transmit information to enable the insured to obtain healthcare from multiple, independent healthcare providers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for healthcare management comprising:
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an identity card reader capable of reading secure information on an identity card for a patient;
a healthcare provider computer operably coupled to the reader capable of receiving patient identifying information from the reader;
a medical database system operably coupled to the healthcare provider computer capable of receiving the patient identifying information, further provider information and patient medical information, and returning, based on the patient identifying information and further provider information, approved patient information to the healthcare provider computer;
a further healthcare provider computers operably coupled to the medical database system, wherein the medical database system is operable to forward approval information for medical services for the patient to at least one of the further healthcare provider computers based on the patient medical information from the healthcare provider computer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A system for flexible healthcare management comprising:
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a medical database system having patient medical and financial information for patients, and coverage information from plural insurance companies;
healthcare provider systems operably coupled to the medical database system comprising computers and card readers each capable of reading secure information from a medical smart card uniquely identifying a single patient;
wherein the medical database system is configured to provide selective medical information about said single patient based on a requesting first healthcare provider information and patient identifying information from a card reader, and to forward approved medical information to another healthcare provider based on services provided by the first healthcare provider.
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Specification