Virtual service system for client and service provider users and method therefor

• US 20040122716A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lions Eye Institute Limited
• Original Assignee: Lions Eye Institute Limited
• Inventors: Yogesan, Kanagasingam
• Application Number:
  US10/683,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122716A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

An electronic healthcare system comprises a number of stations (12) connected either via a LAN or via the Internet. Client service stations (13) are used to capture and process digital images that are then uploaded to a central service station (21). Primary service stations (14) and specialist service stations (15) allow healthcare specialists and primary healthcare providers to access the uploaded multimedia information to provide diagnosis and treatment as well other services. An administrator station (16) and one or more analysis stations (18) allow the system to be administered as well as data analysis to be performed. Access to the data is granted on a permission basis. The system cab have applicability in many healthcare scenarios, but is particularly applicable for ophthalmic and dentals screening, diagnosis and treatment.

Claims

1. A virtual service system for providing a service to a client, the system comprising:

a client service station for acquiring information about the client, and providing to a user thereat a plurality of client processes for acquiring said information in a controlled and regulated manner;

a central server station for receiving and storing the acquired information about the client in a prescribed manner, the central server station comprising multiple discrete servers;

a primary service provider station for facilitating the acquisition and transfer of said information to said central server station; and

a specialist service provider station for accessing information stored at the central server station, and providing to the user thereat a plurality of specialist processes in a controlled and regulated manner.

2. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each discrete server of the central server station receives and stores acquired information of a predetermined type.

3. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the specialist service provider station accesses the information stored at the central server station by having the central server station transmit the information to the specialist service station in accordance with a prescribed protocol at a time specified by the specialist service station.

4. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the prescribed protocol includes transmitting a low-resolution image at first instance and, thereafter, allowing a region of interest of the image to be selected at the specialist service provider station and transmitting the portion of the image equating to the region of interest at full resolution.

5. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the client processes include:

vital client information gathering means;

specialist service provider selection means;

multimedia information grabbing means;

multimedia information uploading means to said central server station;

information submission means to said central server station; and

specialist service provider advisory means to said specialist service provider station.

6. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the specialist processes include processes for accessing, processing and editing the information, and include:

client information accessing means;

reviewing and editing means of said information;

reporting means in respect of said information;

information submission means for submitting the edited and reported aspects of said client information to said central server station; and

primary service provider advisory means to said primary service provider station.

7. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary service provider station has a prescribed primary level access to the information stored at the central server station, the prescribed primary level access permitting only reading of the information.

8. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the specialist service provider station has a prescribed specialist level access permitting reading and writing of the information.

9. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary service provider station corresponds to the client service station.

10. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the primary service provider station is discrete from the client service station.

11. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 1, and further including an administrator station for providing to a user thereat a plurality of administrative processes for administering the system in a controlled and regulated manner.

12. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the administrative processes include:

specialist updating means;

user statistic providing means;

user updating means;

medical centre updating means; and

searching means for searching information stored at the central server station.

13. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 1, and further including an analysis station for providing to a user thereat a plurality of analysis processes for providing an analysis of the information stored in the system in a controlled and regulated manner.

14. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the analysis processes include:

criteria searching means;

report providing means; and

information display means.

15. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the information display means includes patient display means.

16. A virtual service system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the information display means is a result display means.

17. A method for providing a service to a client as a virtual service, the method including the steps of:

acquiring information about a client at a client service station by following a plurality of client processes in a controlled and regulated manner;

transferring the information to a central server station comprising multiple discrete servers where the information is stored in a prescribed manner;

facilitating the acquisition and transfer of said information to the central server station via a primary service provider station; and

accessing the stored information at the central server station from a specialist service station by following a plurality of specialist processes.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the information stored at the central server station is apportioned according to predetermined types and each apportionment is stored on the discrete server designated for storage of information of the respective predetermined type.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the step of accessing the stored information at the central server station from a specialist service station comprises, transmitting the information from the central server station to the specialist service station in accordance with a prescribed protocol at a time specified by the specialist service station.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the prescribed protocol comprises the steps of:

receiving a low-resolution image at first instance at the specialist service provider station;

optionally selecting a region of interest of the image;

transmitting details of the selected region of interest to the central server station; and

receiving a full resolution image of the portion of the image equating to the region of interest.

21. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the client processes include:

gathering vital client information;

selecting a specialist service provider;

grabbing multimedia information as appropriate;

uploading the multimedia information to the central server station;

submitting the client information to the central server station; and

advising the selected specialist service provider in relation to the client information.

22. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the method further includes the steps of processing and editing the accessed and stored information, from the specialist service station.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the specialist processes include:

accessing the client information;

reviewing and editing of said information;

reporting in respect of said information;

submitting the edited and reported aspects of said client information to said central server station;

advising the primary service provider at the primary service provider station.

24. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the primary service provider station has a prescribed primary level access to the information stored at the central server station, the prescribed primary level access permitting only reading of the information.

25. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the specialist service provider station has a prescribed specialist level access permitting reading and writing of the information.

26. A method as claimed in claim 17, and further including the step of providing to a user, via an administrator station, a plurality of administrative processes for administering the system in a controlled and regulated manner.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the administrative processes include:

specialist updating means;

user statistic providing means;

user updating means;

medical centre updating means; and

searching means for searching information stored at the central server station.

28. A method as claimed in claim 17, and further including the step of providing to a user, via an analysis station, a plurality of analysis processes for providing an analysis of the information stored in the system in a controlled and regulated manner.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the analysis processes include:

criteria searching means;

report providing means; and

information display means.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the information display means includes a patient display means.

31. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the information display means includes a result display means.