Medical diagnostic system acquisition and financing method and apparatus

• US 20030046197A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Corvin, Christoph T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present technique is associated with financial analysis of a transaction for medical resources. The technique allows a client to interact with a remote financial analysis system via a network interface, and to enter and transmit client data associated with a desired transaction to the financial analysis system for a transaction analysis. Accordingly, the client receives multiple transaction options tailored to the desired transaction and the client data.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing transactions for medical resources in a medical facility, the method comprising:

providing access to a financial analysis system for a medical resource supplier via a network;

providing a network interface for communication with the financial analysis system, the network interface including a form for entering client data for medical resources;

receiving the client data from the network interface via the network;

analyzing the client data in the financial analysis system;

providing a plurality of financial transaction options tailored to the client data; and

transmitting the plurality of financial transaction options to a client via the network.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising storing the client data on the financial analysis system.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising storing at least a portion of the client data on a server, and tailoring the form for the client according to the portion of client data.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising coupling the financial analysis system to the Internet, and allowing communications with the financial analysis system via an Internet browser.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising providing medical resource availability information from the medical resource supplier to the client via the network interface.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising electronically accepting applications for purchasing medical resources via the network interface.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising electronically transmitting to the client a purchasing agreement for the medical resources tailored to the client data.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising evaluating tax consequences of a transaction for the medical resources.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the client data comprises receiving financial information of the client.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the client data comprises receiving client trade-in data for a purchasing transaction for medical resources.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a plurality of financial transaction options comprises providing a plurality of payment times and payment amounts.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a plurality of financial transaction options comprises providing a plurality of service options.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a plurality of financial transaction options comprises providing a plurality of payment terms and ownership options for the client purchasing the medical resources.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising providing lease and loan options tailored to the client data.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a query page for selecting a medical resource category.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a set of financial rules for analyzing the client data.

17. A system for analyzing resource transactions for a medical facility, the system comprising:

a client computer system for a medical facility;

a transactional analysis system for a medical resource supplier;

a network for coupling the client computer system to the transactional analysis system; and

a financial analysis module operative on the transactional analysis system for determining terms of a financial transaction based upon client data, the client computer system being configured to transmit client data to the financial analysis module, and the financial analysis module being configured to evaluate the client data and to generate a plurality of financial transaction options tailored to the client data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the financial analysis module comprises a set of financial rules.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the set of financial rules comprises tax rules for evaluating tax consequences of the financial transaction.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the client data comprises trade-in data for a client trade-in with the financial transaction.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the client data comprises financial data for the medical facility.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the client data comprises a desired healthcare category.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the client data comprises a desired option for purchasing a medical resource.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the desired option comprises a desired service.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of financial transaction options comprise a loan option.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of financial transaction options comprise a lease option.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of financial transaction options comprise a plurality of payment amounts and payment times.

28. The system of claim 17, comprising a client interface configured for exchanging information and procuring a financial transaction between the medical facility and the medical resource supplier via the network.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the client interface comprises at least one page for displaying the plurality of financial transaction options.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the client interface comprises a transaction agreement page tailored to the client data.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the transaction agreement page comprises a loan agreement according to one of the plurality of financial transaction options.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the transaction agreement page comprises a lease agreement according to one of the plurality of financial transaction options.

33. A method for facilitating a purchasing transaction between a medical resource supplier and a client, the method comprising:

providing access to a transaction system for a medical resource supplier via a network;

providing an interface for exchanging information between a client and the transaction system, wherein the interface has fields for entering client data;

receiving the client data from the interface via the network;

financially analyzing at least a portion of the client data with a financial analysis system operative on the transaction system;

generating a plurality of purchasing options tailored to the client data; and

transmitting the plurality of purchasing options to the client via the network, wherein the plurality of purchasing options comprise lease and loan options.

34. The method of claim 33, comprising coupling the transaction system to the Internet.

35. The method of claim 33, comprising electronically transmitting to the client a purchasing agreement for medical resources tailored to the client data.

36. The method of claim 33, comprising evaluating tax consequences of a purchasing transaction for medical resources according to the client data

37. The method of claim 33, wherein receiving the client data comprises receiving financial information of the client.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein receiving the client data comprises receiving client trade-in information for a purchasing transaction for medical resources.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein generating a plurality of purchasing options comprises providing a plurality of service options.

40. A method for providing medical resources to a medical facility, the method comprising:

providing access to a financial module for a medical resource supplier via a network;

providing a communication interface comprising fields for transmitting client data to the financial module, wherein the client data includes a medical system category;

financially analyzing at least a portion of the client data with the financial module;

generating a plurality of transaction options tailored to the client data; and

transmitting the plurality of transaction options to a client via the network 41.

41. The method of claim 40, comprising electronically transmitting to the client a purchasing agreement for medical resources tailored to the client data.

42. The method of claim 40, comprising evaluating tax consequences of a purchasing transaction for medical resources according to the client data.

43. The method of claim 40, comprising receiving financial information of the client at the financial module.

44. The method of claim 40, comprising receiving client trade-in information at the financial module.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein generating a plurality of transaction options comprises providing a plurality of service options.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein generating a plurality of transaction options comprises providing a plurality of payment terms and ownership options.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein generating a plurality of transaction options comprises providing lease and loan options tailored to the client data.

48. The method of claim 40, comprising displaying the plurality of transaction options on the communication interface.