Method for clinician house calls utilizing portable computing and communications equipment

• US 20050060198A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gresham Bayne
• Original Assignee: Cary Gresham Bayne
• Inventors: Bayne, Cary Gresham
• Granted Patent: US 7,249,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

Mobile clinicians conduct in-home patient visits utilizing on-site diagnostic and treatment equipment, where service is enhanced by the use of portable computing and communications equipment. Initially, a mobile care entity provides a network of predesignated mobile clinicians, each having the use of a preprogrammed portable computer. Each computer is coupled to a wireless communications device, and includes local storage of patient data. Under a predetermined schedule, each portable computer updates patient data in the local storage utilizing the wireless communications device to download updates from a central storage facility. Whenever the mobile care entity receives requests for medical service at a patient'"'"'s premises, the entity selects a mobile clinician and dispatches him/her to the patient'"'"'s premises. The clinician visits the patient'"'"'s premises accompanied by an assortment of electronic diagnostic and treatment devices, such as a pulse oximiter, x-ray machine, lab analyzer, EKG equipment, etc. To examine the patient, the doctor utilizes various diagnostic devices to prepare machine-readable reports of related aspects of the patient'"'"'s condition. The clinician directs the portable computer to perform follow-up tasks including: (1) electronically collecting the prepared reports and graphically presenting them in human-readable form, (2) storing a machine-readable medical record including details of the patient'"'"'s exam, and (3) utilizing the wireless device to transmit the reports and records to the central storage facility.

Claims

1. A method of providing medical care, comprising operations of:

a mobile care entity providing a network of predesignated mobile clinicians;

the mobile care entity providing the clinicians with use of preprogrammed portable computers, each portable computer coupled to a wireless communications interface and including local storage of patient data;

according to a predetermined schedule, each portable computer updating patient data in the local storage by utilizing the wireless communications interface to download updates from a central storage facility;

the mobile care entity receiving a request for medical services at a patient'"'"'s premises, and responsive thereto, selecting one of the predesignated mobile clinicians and dispatching the selected clinician to the patient'"'"'s premises;

the clinician visiting the patient'"'"'s premises accompanied by a preselected collection of electronic medical care devices;

the clinician examining the patient, including selecting and operating one or more of the medical care devices to analyze one or more aspects of the patient'"'"'s condition and prepare representative outputs;

the clinician directing the portable computer to perform follow-up operations comprising;

electronically collecting the outputs and presenting them in human-readable form;

storing a machine-readable record including observations from the clinician'"'"'s examination of the patient; and

utilizing the wireless communications interface to transmit the machine-readable record to the central storage facility.

2. The method of claim 1, the medical care devices including at least one of the following:

an x-ray machine;

a cardiac output monitoring machine;

laboratory analyzer;

a pulse oximeter.

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

the clinician treating the patient; and

the clinician directing the portable computer to store a machine-readable record including a summary of the clinician'"'"'s treatment of the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, the wireless communications interlace comprising a mobile digital telephone.

5. The method of claim 1, the wireless communications interlace comprising an analog radio frequency transceiver.

6. The method of claim 1, the clinician further directing the portable computer to perform operations comprising:

directing the portable computer and wireless communications interface to transmit selected machine-readable reports and records to a patient referral source;

7. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

each portable computer tracking and recording various event times related to the patient visit, including at least one of the following;

dispatch time, travel time, patient visit time.

8. The method of claim 1, the downloading of updates from the central storage facility being performed, via the public Internet.

9. The method of claim 1, the operation of utilizing the wireless communications interface to transmit the machine-readable record to the central storage facility comprising:

transmitting the record to the central storage facility via the public Internet.

10. The method of claim 1, the operation of the clinician examining the patient further comprising:

the clinician interconnecting one or more sensors between the patient and the portable computer;

the clinician directing the portable computer to gather machine-readable representations of bodily conditions measured by the sensors, and transmit the representations via the wireless communications interface to a remotely located electronic medical care device; and

the portable computer communicating with the remotely located device to obtain a machine-readable output representing analysis performed by the remotely located device.

11. The method of claim 13, the operation of obtaining, a machine-readable output representing analysis performed by the remotely located device further comprising:

the portable computer presenting the results in human-readable form to the clinician.

12. The method of claim 1, the operation of the clinician examining the patient further comprising:

the clinician directing the portable computer and communications interface to cooperatively engage in machine-readable communications with a remotely located electronic medical care device to report bodily conditions of the patient to the remotely located device and receive analysis based thereon.

13. The method of claim 12, the remotely located electronic medical care device including an ultrasound machine.

14. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

the clinician directing the portable computer and communications interface to obtain information provided by Internet web sites.

15. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

while at the patient'"'"'s premises, the clinician utilizing the portable computer to place orders for medical supplies over the Internet.

16. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

the operation of receiving a request for medical services at a patient'"'"'s premises comprising the mobile care entity receiving patient medical information transmitted by a medical device located at the patient'"'"'s premises.

17. The method of claim 1, the dispatching of the selected clinician to the patients premises including sending wireless dispatch information tithe selected clinician, including patient medical record information, current medical condition information, and patient location information.

18. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to the request for medical services, transmitting a machine-readable notification of the request to a pre-registered party.

19. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to the request for medical services, transmitting a machine-readable response to the patient including at least one of the following;

posting a message upon an Internet web site, transmitting an e-mail message.

20. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to the request for medical services, transmitting a machine-readable notification of at least one of the following to the patient;

geographic location of the selected clinician, and expected arrival time of the selected clinician at the patient'"'"'s premises.

21. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to completion of the clinician'"'"'s visit to the patient, conducting automatic computer-driven operations including generating and transmitting an e-mail notification to a pre-registered party.

22. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to completion of the clinician'"'"'s visit to the patient, conducting automatic computer-driven operations including;

scheduling of a follow-up visit; and

transmitting machine-readable notification of the scheduled follow-up visit to a pre-registered party.

23. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

automated medical-condition monitoring equipment at the patient'"'"'s premises generating and transmitting the request for medical services to the mobile care entity.

24. The method of claim 1, the follow-up operations further comprising:

the clinician operating the portable computer to prepare and make wireless transmission of one or more orders for items related to the examination for delivery to the patient.

25. The method of claim 1, the follow-up operations further comprising:

the clinician operating the portable computer to prepare and make wireless transmission of information to admit the patient to a hospital.

27. The device of claim 16, where the interface is being a wireless interface.

28. The device of claim 16, the processor being further programmed to perform operations comprising:

receiving machine-readable sensor output representing bodily conditions of the patient; and

employing the Internet-access device to transmit the sensor output to one or more remotely located electronic medical care devices and request analysis of the output by the devices.

29. The device of claim 16, the operations further comprising:

receiving a wireless dispatch notification from a remotely located call center.

30. The device of claim 16, further comprising:

mapping and location components programmed to identify a geographical location of the clinician device and prepare a map with directions to a prescribed patient visit site.

26. A computer-driven clinician device, comprising:

a wireless Internet-access device;

a medical care device interface;

local storage;

a digital data processor coupled to the device, interface, and local storage, the processor being programmed to perform operations comprising;

activating the Internet-access device to synchronize patient data contained in the local storage with data from a remotely located medical records database according to a predetermined schedule;

utilizing the interface to receive machine-readable outputs from electronic medical care devices representing analysis of a patient'"'"'s medical condition;

directing the local storage to store a medical record including the machine-readable outputs; and

operating the Internet-access device to transmit the medical record to a remotely located storage facility.

31. A method of patient-treatment comprising:

receiving wireless dispatch information concerning a patient including current location information, current medical symptoms, and historic medical records;

following said location information to locate and treat said patient according to said wireless dispatch information;

entering medical treatment information in response to patient treatment; and

wirelessly transmitting said medical treatment information to a central location.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising wirelessly ordering delivery of medication for said patient.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising wirelessly ordering delivery of medical equipment for said patient.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said medical treatment information comprises a request to automatically schedule a follow-up visit for said patient.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising wirelessly contacting a predetermined party as to said medical treatment information via e-mail.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising wirelessly transmitting admission information for admitting said patient to a hospital.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising sending wireless notification of a current clinician location.