Method for providing web-based delivery of medical service requests

• US 20050060201A1
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allscripts Software LLC (Veradigm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: McKesson Information Solutions LLC (McKesson Corp.)
• Inventors: Mathur, Alok, Connely, Robert Emmitt III, Piccolo, Andreas Achille, Ordahl, Steven Troy
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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

Abstract

A method for improving communication in the delivery of healthcare services is described. Also disclosed is a method of improving the area of Pre-Service operations. The method may utilize the ePackages described herein.

Claims

1. A method of improving secure communication among healthcare providers, comprising:

requesting a health care service from a hospital provider by inputting information in a request for service form at a location;

constructing an ePackage from the information on the request for service form;

transmitting the ePackage from a node at the location to a node at a hospital;

storing the ePackage at a node database at the hospital;

accessing the ePackage via a node by the hospital provider;

comparing a schedule request in the ePackage to a hospital schedule and a schedule for the hospital provider to determine a mutually-compatible scheduled date for performing the requested service; and

updating the ePackage with the scheduled date.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the ePackage with Pre-Service information selected from the group comprising authorization, eligibility of benefits, pre-certification number, and co-pay amounts.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding an order number to the ePackage.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the ePackage from each of the plurality of nodes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the epackage at the hospital when the patient registers for the requested procedure.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing the requested hospital service to obtain a result;

adding the result to the ePackage.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step for requesting a health care service further comprises:

collecting patient information from a patient at a physician'"'"'s office, the information being selected from the group of address, employer, social security number; and

entering the patient information on the form.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

adding voice annotations to the epackage.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the ePackage with diagnostic codes manually or by uploading from a hospital flat file.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the step of adding schedule request information further comprises including a predetermined date, time, and location for an appointment and contact information.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

Signing the ePackage via an electronic signature of a doctor.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding comments to the ePackage.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the comments are pre-test instructions.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising viewing the ePackage by a physician on a worklist.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising validating to ensure that all required files in the ePackage are completed.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

accessing a Pre-Service request worklist;

reviewing unsigned Pre-Service requests;

electronically signing the Pre-Service request as an authorized signature; and

inserting the authorized signature into the ePackage;

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising checking a status of the request in the ePackage by accessing a request status worklist.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the nodes are connected via an infrastructure.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the infrastructure comprises a peer-to-peer network or a VPN.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the ePackage with procedure codes manually or from embedded tables.

8. The method of claim 8 wherein the information is entered manually.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the information is digitally scanned from a group selected form insurance cards and drivers'"'"' licenses.

23. A method of improving secure communication between healthcare providers, comprising:

providing a plurality of nodes, each node being located at a site;

connecting each node via an infrastructure having at least one transport mechanism;

constructing a packaging mechanism, the packaging mechanism being an ePackage;

delivering the ePackage from one site to a second site; and

receiving the ePackage at the node at the second site.

24. The method of claim 23 in which the step of constructing the packaging mechanism further comprises constructing the ePackage having:

a package header containing date information related to the ePackage;

a destination, containing information to which node the ePackage is to be delivered;

a source, containing information from which node the ePackage originates;

tracking history, containing a movement log of the ePackage between the destination and source nodes;

a workflow history; and

a packing list, containing a collection of item objects that contain attachments to the ePackage.

25. The method of claim 24, in which once the ePackage is constructed, the ePackage is placed in a logical outbox for the destination.