Healthcare virtual private network methods and systems

• US 20040146156A1
• Filed: 01/27/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wellons, David L., Turcan, Diane Brown
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13384 Inter-PBX traffic, PBX networks, e.g. corporate networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 Virtual channel/circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 for connecting to private branch exchanges

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling a healthcare virtual private network (VPN) that leverages the assets of a shared, interconnected network of legacy systems. A data connection is established with a rule-based application dataserver of a telecommunications network facility to control access, sharing, notification, security, and/or management of electronic healthcare communications and/or data exchanged between or among a non-participant and a legacy system of a participant. Typically, the rule-based application dataserver is associated with a central office (“CO”), a mobile telephone switching center (“MTSO”), or a combination CO/MTSO. Methods and systems related to healthcare VPN billing are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic healthcare communication to a network-based communications system, the electronic healthcare communication associated with at least one legacy system;

categorizing the electronic healthcare communication as at least one of (1) data associated with an access agent, (2) data associated with a security agent, (3) data associated a messaging/communications agent, (4) data associated with a transactional agent, and (5) data associated with a troubleshooting agent; and

processing the electronic healthcare communication within the at least one legacy system according to the category,

wherein the network-based communications system enables an exchange of at least one of the electronic healthcare communication and selected data between one or more networks of communications devices associated with at least one telecommunications service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a transaction reply for delivery to a sender communication device associated with a network of non-participant communications device when the categorization step applies a sender reply rule; and

routing the transaction reply to the non-participant communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a transaction notification for delivery to a receiver communication device associated with the legacy system when the categorization step applies a receiver notification rule; and

routing the transaction notification to the receiver communications device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of categorizing the electronic healthcare communication further comprises the steps of:

accessing at least one rule-based application dataserver associated with a central office of a telecommunications network, the rule-based application dataserver providing a rule-based engine to interpret the electronic healthcare communication; and

utilizing the rule-based application dataserver to categorize the electronic healthcare communication.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the rule-based application dataserver comprises an application server having at least one of an access agent, a security agent, a messaging/communications agent, a transactional agent, and a troubleshooting agent.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of categorizing the electronic healthcare communication using the rule-based engine comprises the steps of:

verifying the electronic healthcare communication meets authenticity requirements of the at least one legacy system; and

verifying the electronic healthcare communication meets security requirements of the at least one legacy system.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

managing the rule-based application dataserver associated with the central office of the telecommunications network to control access to the at least one legacy system.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of processing the electronic healthcare communication within the at least one legacy system comprises:

converting the electronic healthcare communication from a first data format associated with the network of the non-participant communications device to a compatible second data format associated with the at least one legacy system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first data format is one of a printed text format, a voice data format, a video data format, a dual tone multi-frequency data format, and a digital data format.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second data format is one of a printed text format, a voice data format, a video data format, a dual tone multi-frequency data format, and a digital data format.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital data format is ASCII.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of processing the electronic healthcare communication within the at least one legacy system further comprises the step of at least one of (i) sending the compatible second data format to a storage device associated with the telecommunications service provider, (ii) archiving the compatible second data format, (iii) encrypting the compatible second data format, (iv) copying the compatible second data format, and (v) associating the compatible second data format with related data in the receiver legacy system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of processing the electronic healthcare communication within the at least one legacy system further comprises the step of communicating the compatible second data format to an Internet Protocol address of at least one communications device of the one or more networks of communications devices associated with the telecommunications service provider, the communications devices comprising at least one of the following:

a wireless communications device,

a mobile phone,

a cellular phone,

a WAP phone,

a satellite phone

a computer,

a modem,

a pager,

a digital music device,

a digital recording device,

a personal digital assistant,

an interactive television,

a digital signal processor, and

a Global Positioning System device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of communicating the compatible second data format comprises communicating the compatible second data format via at least one of the following:

an analog line;

a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL);

an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) line;

an ATM Sonet;

a SmartRing service line;

a Frame Relay service line; and

a local loop of a telecommunications network.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of communicating the compatible second data format comprises communicating the compatible second data format via means for optically transmitting data.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of communicating the compatible second data format comprises communicating the compatible second data format via wireless transmission.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of categorizing the electronic healthcare communication comprises accessing at least one rule-based application dataserver associated with a telecommunications facility, the telecommunications facility comprising at least one of telephone switching equipment and mobile telephone switching equipment.

18. A method, comprising the steps of:

storing electronic healthcare data to a database associated with a rule-based application dataserver of a network-based communications system, the rule-based application dataserver controlling access to and from a legacy system of the network-based communications system; and

allowing a participant associated with the legacy system to manage a rule-based engine associated with the rule-based application dataserver, the rule-based engine providing rules to interpret the electronic healthcare data, the rules associated with at least one of (1) an access agent, (2) a security agent, (3) a messaging/communications agent, (4) a transactional agent, and (5) a troubleshooting agent, wherein the network-based communications system enables an exchange electronic healthcare data between one or more networks of communications devices associated with at least one telecommunications service provider.

19. A method, comprising the steps of:

establishing a first data connection between a communications device and a network-based communications system;

establishing a second data connection between a legacy system and the network-based communications system, the second data connection using a rule-based application dataserver hosted by a telecommunications service provider to control access to and from the legacy system, the rule-based application dataserver comprising rules for categorizing electronic healthcare data according to at least one of the following;

(1) data associated with an access agent, (2) data associated with a security agent, (3) data associated a messaging/communications agent, (4) data associated with a transactional agent, and (5) data associated with a troubleshooting agent; and

communicating the electronic healthcare data via the first data connection and the second data connection.

20. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

allowing a user to manage a rule-based engine associated with the rule-based application dataserver.

21. A system, comprising:

a network of legacy systems, each legacy system comprising software, hardware, and networks, each legacy system further comprising a plurality of interconnected communications devices serviced by a telecommunications service provider; and

a rule-based application dataserver for managing the exchange of electronic healthcare data with the at least one legacy system, the rule-based application dataserver provided by the telecommunications service provider.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

an application program installed in a communications device associated with the legacy system, the application program allowing remote management of a rule-based engine associated with the rule-based application dataserver.

23. A method of billing for an electronic healthcare communication, comprising the steps of:

receiving information related to an originating address of an electronic healthcare communication to a network-based communications system, the electronic healthcare communication associated with at least one legacy system;

receiving information related to a termination address, the termination address determined by selecting a category of the electronic healthcare communication as at least one of (1) data associated with an access agent, (2) data associated with a security agent, (3) data associated a messaging/communications agent, (4) data associated with a transactional agent, and (5) data associated with a troubleshooting agent;

transmitting the originating address information to a billing network element of the network-based communications system;

transmitting the termination address to the billing network element of the network-based communications system;

communicating the electronic healthcare communication to the termination address;

transmitting categorization information to the billing network element of the network-based communications system, the categorization information describing the selected category for the electronic healthcare communication;

transmitting a call record to a billing database; and

billing the participant for communicating the electronic healthcare communication to the termination address.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the call record contains information for the electronic healthcare communication comprising at least one of geographic information, minutes of use, method of routing the electronic healthcare communication, call features, and troubleshooting information.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the originating number further comprises a portable telephone number.