Health-care systems and methods

• US 20020188478A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Abolfathi, Amir, Shelton, Jason, Breeland, Joe, Etheridge, David
• Application Number:
  US10/205,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188478A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records

Abstract

A virtual health-care electronic commerce community includes a network to communicate information relating to the community; one or more patients coupled to the network; one or more treating professionals coupled to the network; and a server coupled to the network, the server storing data for each patient and performing patient data visualization in response to a user request.

Claims

1. A virtual health-care electronic commerce community, comprising:

a network to communicate information relating to the community;

one or more patients coupled to the network;

one or more treating professionals coupled to the network; and

a server coupled to the network, the server storing data for each patient and facilitating secured data sharing by the community.

2. The community of claim 1, wherein the treating professional views one or more of the following patient data visualization over the network:

a right buccal view;

a left buccal view;

a posterior view;

an anterior view;

a mandibular occlusal view;

a maxillary occlusal view;

an overjet view;

a left distal molar view;

a left lingual view;

a lingual incisor view;

a right lingual view;

a right distal molar view;

an upper jaw view; and

a lower jaw view.

3. The community of claim 1, wherein the treating professionals include dentists or orthodontists.

4. The community of claim 1, further comprising one or more partners coupled to the network.

5. The community of claim 4, wherein the partners include a financing partner.

6. The community of claim 4, wherein the partners include a supplier.

7. The community of claim 4, wherein the partners include a delivery company.

8. The community of claim 1, wherein the treating professionals perform office management operations using the server.

9. The community of claim 8, wherein the office management operations include one or more of the following:

patient scheduling, patient accounting, and claim processing.

10. The community of claim 1, wherein the treating professionals share a patient'"'"'s information with a second authorized treating professional for consultation.

11. A computer-implemented method for performing dental-related electronic commerce, comprising:

transmitting teeth data associated a patient from a dental server to a treating professional computer over the Internet upon an authorized request;

displaying a three-dimensional computer model of the teeth at the treating professional computer using a browser;

allowing a treating professional to manipulate the three-dimensional computer model of the teeth using the browser;

transmitting the computer model from the treating professional computer to the server; and

generating an appliance to treat the patient based on the computer model of the teeth.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing financing options for the patient using one or more financing partners.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising offering an on-line shop geared to the patient'"'"'s dental requirements.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing office management utilities for the treating professional.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the office management utilities include one or more of the following:

patient scheduling, patient accounting, and claim processing.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein allowing a treating professional to manipulate the three-dimensional computer model of the teeth using the browser further comprises displaying a plurality of dental views.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the dental views include one or more of the following:

a right buccal view;

a left buccal view;

a posterior view;

an anterior view;

a mandibular occlusal view;

a maxillary occlusal view;

an overjet view;

a left distal molar view;

a left lingual view;

a lingual incisor view;

a right lingual view;

a right distal molar view;

an upper jaw view; and

a lower jaw view.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein allowing a treating professional to manipulate the three-dimensional computer model of the teeth using the browser further comprises clicking on a tooth to adjust its position.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying x, y and z axis to allow the treating professional to adjust the position of the tooth.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing supplemental services to the patient, including teeth whitening services.

21. A server to support a health-care electronic commerce community with one or more patients and one or more service providers, comprising:

a processor adapted to communicate with a network;

a data storage device coupled to the processor and adapted to store data for each patient; and

software to communicate 3D patient data in response to a client request.

22. The server of claim 21, further comprising a browser adapted to receive the client request and transmitting the request to the server.

23. The server of claim 22, wherein the browser further comprises a viewer plug-in to visualize patient data in 3D.

24. The server of claim 21, wherein the providers service one or more of the following health-care applications:

dentistry applications, cosmetic augmentation, hair-care enhancements, liposuction, plastic or reconstructive surgery.