Medispatch: A concept for secure medical communication

• US 20060190294A1
• Filed: 02/21/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Michelson, Steve Hirschfeld
• Original Assignee: James Michelson, Steve Hirschfeld
• Inventors: Michelson, James Dean, Hirschfeld, Steven Isidor
• Application Number:
  US10/906,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• 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
• 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

Medispatch is a proposal for a service to provide an unmet medical need for secure universal communication between patients and their health care providers or facilities. The features of the service are security through encryption, authentication of the sender and receiver of information, and non-repudiation of the information. Through a simple e-mail interface, it will be possible to integrate the patient'"'"'s medical record for the patient, their designated health care providers, and the pharmacies that fill their prescriptions. The provision of this service as a stand-alone service that can be easily integrated into any medical information services that already exist within a hospital, clinic, medical office, ambulatory surgery center, etc., is designed to allow such facilities to effectively outsource the administrative burden of this important mode of patient communication while maintaining security and HIPAA compliance. Built-in limitations with respect to storage of information and forwarding information from the service are designed to enhance the security of the service.

Claims

1. The system described provides secure communication, data storage, and data integration amongst all the participants in the health-care system (including but not limited to patients, physicians, other care-givers, pharmacies, durable medical equipment suppliers).

2. The system relies on standard internet protocols and is accessible from all networked computers.

3. All communications between the participants and the system are by secure, encrypted communications protocols.

4. Through a simple interface, the patient'"'"'s medical record can be integrated for the patient, their designated health care providers, and the various suppliers of health-care goods and services (e.g.—

pharmacies).

5. This service is a stand-alone service that can be easily integrated into any medical information services that exist within a hospital, clinic, medical office, ambulatory surgery center, etc.

6. This service allows healthcare facilities to outsource the administrative burden of this important mode of individualized patient communication while maintaining security and HIPAA compliance.

7. The sources of stored information include (but are not limited to) health-care-provider generated medical records, prescriptions, lab and radiology reports, imaging, insurance information, and patient generated record.

8. The system provides a secure centralized repository of information for the patient, who has control over the uses of such information. At his/her request, such information (or any portion designated) can be forwarded to designated participants in their health care.

9. The centralized storage of information and messaging is time-limited, unless otherwise arranged by the patient. All communications could be copied for local storage by the patient. This local storage functionality is available to the health-care provider as well, if permitted by the patient.

10. Data storage, transmission, communications, and other information management functions are secure, confidential, and fully compliant with all relevant regulations (e.g. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

11. The transactions of the system are 100% audited, using a monitoring system that is distinct from the data storage system. There is no auditing of the data once it has been locally stored by the patient, health-care provider, etc.

12. At the request of the patient, the health information can be processed by digital rights management (DRM) software to limit the subsequent distribution of the information.

13. The system, from the patient'"'"'s viewpoint, will consist of limited mail-box functionality that includes a means to receive messages and information from authorized providers, a means to respond to messages, a means to contact authorized providers through individualized address lists and menus, and an inability to forward messages (except to authorized providers or if first copied to local storage and forwarded from there). The last feature avoids potential liability of lack of encryption and avoids the potential for contact of non-enrolled health care facilities or providers by patients.

14. The system, from the provider'"'"'s viewpoint, will consist of document/image/data upload capability, and mailbox functionality similar to that of patients (including means to receive messages and information from authorized providers, a means to respond to messages, a means to contact authorized providers through individualized address lists and menus, and an inability to forward messages except to authorized providers unless first copied to local storage and forwarded from there)

The system prevent providers from forwarding information unless specifically authorized by the patient.

15. The system provides the means for initiating consultations by other providers registered in the system, when authorized by the patient.

16. Communications will be coded or tagged according to content.

17. Providers will be able to track the status of patient care actions that they initiated, such as filling of prescriptions, completion of consultations.