Method and apparatus for mobile health and wellness management incorporating real-time coaching and feedback, community and rewards

• US 20060205564A1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Equilibrio
• Original Assignee: Equilibrio
• Inventors: Peterson, Eric K.
• Application Number:
  US11/369,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20060205564A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0871 Peak expiratory flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a mobile lifestyle management system, combining a server-based application enabling creation of an integrated health and wellness plan (comprising diet, exercise, medication and vitals testing), with a client-based application enabling management of, and compliance with, the resulting lifestyle plan. The client application is installed on a wireless, Internet-enabled mobile device, the server application on an Internet-connected server, and the two applications exchange data with one another via an over-the-air “OTA” synchronization using standard Internet protocols. The resulting ecosystem operates as a stand-alone lifestyle management system, but can also be configured to function as a content delivery platform, when integrated with existing Web-based health and wellness content.

Claims

1. An integrated health and wellness management system, comprising:

A secure server having a computer readable medium disposed in communication with the internet and accessible via a world wide web portal;

A server-based application residing on the server that provides for;

(a) Addition, deletion and configuration of user accounts;

(b) Generation of end user lifestyle plans comprising diet, exercise, medication and vitals testing;

(c) Tracking of end user compliance with plans; and

(d) Synchronization of plans and outcomes with a client-based application;

An internet-enabled mobile device featuring a wireless link to the Internet; and

A client-based application residing on the internet-enabled mobile device that provides for;

(a) Presentation of lifestyle plans comprising diet, exercise, medication and vitals testing;

(b) Delivery of real-time coaching and guidance;

(c) Capture of outcomes;

(d) Delivery of feedback; and

(e) Synchronization of plan and outcomes with the server-based application.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the internet-enabled mobile device is selected from the group consisting of PDAs, mobile handsets and cellular telephones, laptop and mobile computers, wireless devices, Bluetooth devices and other WAP devices.

3. The system of claim 1, where the client-based application is written in the JAVA programming language, or in a native language configured to run on devices with an operating system selected from the list of Symbian, BREW, Windows Mobile, or Palm OS.

4. A method of driving end user compliance with a lifestyle plan, comprising the following steps:

Providing an expert system for delivering real-time, graphical feedback based on references to agreed targets;

Developing a wellness profile unique to the end user;

Creating a personalized lifestyle plan incorporating agreed targets and revising as needed;

delivering real-time coaching and feedback by one or more practitioners to the end user; and

Supporting and rewarding the end user through the use of the expert system.

5. A method for improving the health and wellness of an individual end user, the method comprising the steps of:

Delivering an integrated health and wellness management platform, the platform consisting of an internet-connected server-side application configured to enable the creation of a unique and comprehensive, personalized lifestyle plan by one or more health and wellness practitioners,

Connecting the platform via wireless synchronization with a client-side application installed on a wireless, internet-enabled mobile device; and

Configuring the wireless, internet-enabled mobile device to ensure compliance with the lifestyle plan through the application of behavior modification techniques including real-time coaching, outcome journaling and feedback, goal-based rewards and linkage with a broad community.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the personalized lifestyle plan comprises a series of scheduled events, each occurring at a specific time and/or place.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the series of scheduled events consist of one or more actionable activities related to a user'"'"'s health and wellness.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the series of scheduled events are selected from the group consisting of fitness events, nutritional events, medication events, and vitals events.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the series of scheduled events include any scheduled activity tangentially related to health and wellness.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising the following step:

downloading the client application and associated databases to the end user'"'"'s wireless internet-enabled mobile device.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising the following step:

initiating an over-the-air (OTA) synchronization using standard protocols to receive a copy of the lifestyle plan created by the practitioner.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising the following step:

Viewing further information related to activities in the plan.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprising the following step:

Executing the activities and recording the actual outcomes.

14. The method of claim 5 further comprising the following step:

Modifying the components of the plan.

15. The method of claim 5 further comprising the following step:

Reviewing the rewards earned through documented compliance with plan and outcomes targets.

16. The method of claim 5 further comprising the following step:

Exchanging these rewards for coupons and/or goods and services supplied by partners.

17. The method of claim 5 further comprising the following step:

Sharing plans and results with others in the community;

including practitioners, peers and “

non-users”

with a vested interest in the individual'"'"'s success.

18. A method of use of an integrated health and wellness management cycle consisting of the following steps:

A. User entering basic health information and exercise/nutritional preferences via web site, and optionally collecting such information and preferences via real-time interview;

B. Automatically creating a lifestyle plan and transmitting it to mobile device by a web application based on user inputs;

C. Handheld device guiding user through the execution of the plan, via reminders and real-time coaching/encouragement, data capture and feedback, and returning results back to the web application; and

D. Tracking the web-based application progress against plan, prompting for changes as required, linking user to community and delivering rewards.

19. A method for creating and maintaining a wellness lifestyle plan for an end user integrating health and fitness practitioners, peers and supporting community over a real-time network utilizing server-side and client-side applications and user interfaces, the method comprising the following steps:

A. Initially setting up, including the steps of;

Administrator and/or practitioner creating new user accounts;

Automatically generating a user ID and invitation by a server-side application;

End user accepting invitation and submits profile information;

Practitioner establishing end user targets and settings;

Practitioner creating personalized lifestyle plan for end user based on end user targets and settings;

Automatically pushing client-side application/databases to mobile device; and

End user accepting download of application and databases;

B. Integrating the end user, including the following steps;

Automatically presenting lifestyle plan to end user for review;

Determining if current plan is acceptable to end user;

End user editing or replacing events and/or activities, as desired;

Determining if events or activities should be saved for future use;

Saving events and/or activities to Favorites as desired

Determining if additional information is needed to execute the lifestyle plan;

Retrieving and presenting information to end user by the application;

End user executing plan and recording actual outcomes; and

Automatically calculating results and presenting feedback by the application to the end user;

C. Integrating the practitioner, including the following steps;

Automatically synchronizing the client-side and server-side applications;

Automatically assessing compliance and presenting for review;

Determining if current plan requires editing;

Practitioner editing plan based on results and end user profile; and

Automatically synchronizing client-side and server-side applications.