Self-serve patient check-in and preventive services kiosk

• US 20050261942A1
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Army (U.S. Department Of Defense)
• Original Assignee: United States Army (U.S. Department Of Defense)
• Inventors: Wheeler, Gary A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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 medical check-in and data communication kiosk for efficiently checking-in patients at a medical facility and/or exchanging relevant data with the patient. A patient automatically provides initial identification information by swiping, scanning, etc., an I.D. card and the kiosk then accesses various legacy database systems to gather all relevant medical data corresponding to the particular patient. The patient is requested to verify and/or update any third party payer information, such as insurance information, and is also informed of suggested preventive healthcare actions.

Claims

1. A system for providing efficient access to patient data at a medical facility, the system comprising:

a self-service kiosk including an input device operable to input data from a user, a processor and a display device for visually providing data to a user; and

a server in communication with the processor and operable to store data and selectively access data from at least one external database,

wherein relevant data with respect to a patient is downloaded from one or more of the external databases via the server and provided to the user via the kiosk.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said kiosk comprises a card reader operable to read personal identifying indicia from an identification card presented by the user at the kiosk, wherein the personal identifying indicia uniquely identifies the user and is used to authorize access to personal medical data corresponding to the patient from the databases.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a print device operable to print medical information corresponding to the patient.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the personal medical data includes one or more of, demographics information related to the patient, insurance information, medical appointment information and preventive health action information.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said kiosk further comprises a notification device operable to notify facility personnel of the user'"'"'s arrival to the facility.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the notification device comprises a wireless paging device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said display device is operable to solicit patient service-satisfaction data from the patient.

8. A method of efficiently exchanging data with a patient at a medical facility, the method comprising:

providing one or more individual self-service kiosks operable to communicate with the patient either visually, audibly or both visually and audibly, wherein the kiosks are controlled via a processor;

presenting an identification card at one of the kiosks, wherein the identification card uniquely identifies the patient;

requesting via one of the kiosks, verification of certain personal information from the patient;

accessing one or more databases external to the medical facility to obtain medical data corresponding to the patient.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising, providing the patient with information regarding scheduled medical appointments.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising, providing the patient with a medical report card including one or more of up-to-date personal health information and preventive healthcare actions corresponding specifically to the patient.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising requesting verification from the patient of insurance or other payer information.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising, automatically notifying healthcare facility personnel that the patient has arrived at the medical facility.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the notification of the healthcare facility personnel is performed via a wireless paging system.

14. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

accessing a medical facility check-in database; and

checking-in the patient to the medical facility based on information provided by the patient at the kiosk.

15. A self-service medical kiosk comprising:

a display device operable to convey certain data to a patient and request verification of other data from the patient; and

a processing device operable to receive data inputted by the patient and communicate with a server,

wherein the medical kiosk is operable to access one or more external databases and obtain and display accessed data to the patient on said display device

16. The kiosk as claimed in claim 15, further comprising, a card reading device operable to retrieve person identifying data from an identification card of the patient, wherein the retrieved data is used to identify the patient before personal information is accessed or displayed.

17. The medical kiosk in accordance with claim 15 further comprising a check-in means for connecting to a facility check-in database and checking the patient in to the medical facility.

18. The kiosk as claimed in claim 15, wherein the display device is a touch-screen device.

19. The kiosk as claimed in claim 15, wherein the patient is requested to input or verify one or more of patient'"'"'s current demographic information, patient'"'"'s insurance or other payer information.

20. The kiosk as claimed in claim 19, wherein the patient is provided with one or more of medical appointment information regarding currently scheduled appointments and medical report-card information including suggested preventive healthcare actions.

21. A system for efficiently exchanging information with patients at a medical facility, the system comprising:

means for interacting with a patient and obtaining personal identification information about the patient;

means for connecting the kiosk to one or more database systems external to the medical facility;

means for verifying one or more of patient personal demographic information and patient insurance or other payer information.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21, further comprising, means for providing the patient with a medical report card including suggested preventive healthcare actions based on data retrieved from one or more of the external databases.

23. The system as claimed in claim 21, further comprising, means for automatically notifying one or more medical facility personnel that the patient has arrived at the facility.

24. The system as claimed in claim 21, further comprising, means for soliciting patient service-satisfaction data from the patient.