Appointment scheduling system
First Claim
1. A method for alerting users of an appointment system of changes in an appointment schedule, wherein a user comprises a practitioner, a client or an administrator, and the appointment is scheduled between a practitioner and a client, the method comprising the steps of:
- creating preferred appointment schedules by the users in said appointment system;
recording the availability status of the users over a predetermined period of time for user who are scheduled for the preferred appointment in the appointment system, thereby creating a revised schedule of appointments;
comparing the status of preferred schedule of appointments against the revised schedule of appointments at predetermined intervals of time, wherein said step of comparing the status of the preferred schedule and constructing a revised schedule of appointments is performed automatically by the appointment system;
generating alert messages that contains the change in the status or schedule of appointments, andsending said alert messages to affected users indicating the change in status or the schedule of appointments.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a method and system for alerting users of an appointment system of any change in an appointment schedule between practitioners and clients. If a user registered in the appointment system chooses to schedule an appointment, the user confirms the appointment by sending a conformation message to the message handling module. The appointment system, at predetermined intervals of time compares the status of preferred schedule of appointment against the existing schedule of appointments and if there is any change in the status of scheduled appointment, the change is stored in the central database and an alert message generated. The alert messages are sent via email or short message services (SMS) or a prerecorded voice message on their wire-line phone to users affected by the change in schedule and who have registered for the appointment service.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for alerting users of an appointment system of changes in an appointment schedule, wherein a user comprises a practitioner, a client or an administrator, and the appointment is scheduled between a practitioner and a client, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating preferred appointment schedules by the users in said appointment system; recording the availability status of the users over a predetermined period of time for user who are scheduled for the preferred appointment in the appointment system, thereby creating a revised schedule of appointments; comparing the status of preferred schedule of appointments against the revised schedule of appointments at predetermined intervals of time, wherein said step of comparing the status of the preferred schedule and constructing a revised schedule of appointments is performed automatically by the appointment system; generating alert messages that contains the change in the status or schedule of appointments, and sending said alert messages to affected users indicating the change in status or the schedule of appointments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An online appointment system for alerting users of changes in an appointment schedule, wherein a user is a practitioner, client or administrator, and the appointment is scheduled between a practitioner and the client, the system comprising:
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a registration module for registering users in the appointment system; an appointment module for creating preferred appointment schedules by the users in said appointment system and for recording the availability status of the users in the appointment system who are scheduled for an appointment within a predetermined time period, wherein said recording is performed by the user; a comparison and deduction module for comparing the status of preferred schedule of appointments against the revised schedule of appointments at predetermined intervals of time, and constructing a revised schedule of appointments, wherein said step of comparing the status of the preferred schedule and constructing a revised schedule of appointments is performed automatically by the appointment system after said recording the availability status of the users; a message handling module for generating alert messages that contains the change in the status or schedule of appointments, and sending said alert messages to affected users indicating the change in status or the schedule of appointments; and a central database located on the internet for storing user and appointment related information.
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12. The online appointment system of 11, wherein the registration module further comprises a practitioner registration module and a client registration module.
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13. The online appointment system of 11, wherein the appointment module further comprises a practitioner appointment book creation module, a practitioner appointment book access module, a practitioner appointment addition module, a practitioner appointment cancellation module, a client appointment book access module, a client appointment addition module and a client appointment cancellation module.
Specification