METHOD FOR CLINICIAN HOUSE CALLS UTILIZING PORTABLE COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

• US 20080004907A1
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gresham Bayne
• Original Assignee: C. Gresham Bayne
• Inventors: Bayne, Cary
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

Mobile clinicians conduct in-home patient visits utilizing on-site diagnostic and treatment equipment, where service is enhanced by the use of portable computing and communications equipment. Initially, a mobile care entity provides a network of predesignated mobile clinicians, each having the use of a preprogrammed portable computer. Each computer is coupled to a wireless communications device, and includes local storage of patient data. Under a predetermined schedule, each portable computer updates patient data in the local storage utilizing the wireless communications device to download updates from a central storage facility. Whenever the mobile care entity receives requests for medical service at a patient'"'"'s premises, the entity selects a mobile clinician and dispatches him/her to the patient'"'"'s premises. The clinician visits the patient'"'"'s premises accompanied by an assortment of electronic diagnostic and treatment devices, such as a pulse oximiter, x-ray machine, lab analyzer, EKG equipment, etc. To examine the patient, the doctor utilizes various diagnostic devices to prepare machine-readable reports of related aspects of the patient'"'"'s condition. The clinician directs the portable computer to perform follow-up tasks including: (1) electronically collecting the prepared reports and graphically presenting them in human-readable form, (2) storing a machine-readable medical record including details of the patient'"'"'s exam, and (3) utilizing the wireless device to transmit the reports and records to the central storage facility.

Claims

1. A method of providing medical treatment by clinicians, comprising operations of:

a mobile care entity providing a network of predesignated mobile clinicians;

the mobile care entity providing the clinicians with use of preprogrammed portable computers, each portable computer coupled to a wireless communications interface and including local storage of patient medical records;

a selected one of the clinicians visiting a patient'"'"'s premises accompanied by the portable computer and a preselected collection of portable electronic medical care devices, at least one of the portable electronic medical care devices including a wireless device communications interface with the portable computer of the selected clinician;

the selected clinician examining the patient at the patient'"'"'s premises, including selecting and operating one or more of the portable electronic medical care devices to analyze one or more aspects of the patient'"'"'s condition and prepare representative outputs for transmission wirelessly to the portable computer;

storing the outputs in the local storage of the portable computer of the selected clinician;

the selected clinician updating the patient'"'"'s medical record stored in the local storage at the patient'"'"'s premises; and

the selected clinician directing the portable computer to perform follow-up operations including;

electronically collecting the outputs of the portable electronic medical care devices utilizing the wireless device communications interfaces directly to the portable computer and presenting them in human-readable form;

wirelessly transmitting from the portable computer the outputs of at least one of the portable electronic medical care devices stored in the local storage directly to at least one remote medical care device including remote treatment equipment for analyzing the outputs of the portable electronic medical care devices for the patient;

analyzing the transmitted outputs of the portable computer by the remote treatment equipment;

wirelessly retrieving with the portable computer the analysis of the outputs directly from the remote treatment equipment;

storing the retrieved analysis from the remote treatment equipment in the local storage of the portable computer;

displaying on the portable computer to the selected clinician in the patient'"'"'s premises a portion of the patient'"'"'s medical records, the outputs of the portable electronic medical care devices, and the analysis from the remote treatment equipment; and

treating the patient at the patient'"'"'s premise by the selected clinician in response to the information displayed on the portable computer.

2. The method of claim 1, the medical care devices including at least one of the following:

an x-ray machine;

a cardiac output monitoring machine;

laboratory analyzer;

a pulse oximeter.

3. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

the selected clinician treating the patient; and

the selected clinician directing the portable computer to store a machine-readable record including a summary of the selected clinician'"'"'s treatment of the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, the wireless communications interface comprising a mobile digital telephone.

5. The method of claim 1, the wireless communications interface comprising a radio frequency transceiver.

6. The method of claim 1, the selected clinician further directing the portable computer to perform operations comprising:

directing the portable computer and wireless communications interface to transmit selected machine-readable reports and records from the local storage to a patient referral source.

7. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

each portable computer tracking and recording various event times related to the patient visit, including at least one of the following;

dispatch time, travel time, patient visit time.

8. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

downloading of updates of the patient'"'"'s medical records to the portable computer from the central storage facility via the public Internet.

9. The method of claim 1, the operation of the wirelessly transmitting from the portable computer the outputs of at least one of the portable electronic medical care devices stored in the local storage directly to at least one remote medical care device comprising:

transmitting the outputs of at least one of the portable electronic medical care devices stored in the local storage to at least one remote medical care device via the public Internet.

10. The method of claim 1, the operation of the selected clinician examining the patient further comprising:

the selected clinician interconnecting one or more sensors between the patient and the portable computer;

the selected clinician directing the portable computer to gather machine-readable representations of bodily conditions measured by the sensors, and transmit the representations via the wireless communications interface to a remotely located electronic medical care device; and

the portable computer communicating with the remotely located device to obtain a machine-readable output representing analysis performed by the remotely located device.

11. The method of claim 10, the operation of obtaining, a machine-readable output representing analysis performed by the remotely located device further comprising:

the portable computer presenting the results in human-readable form to the selected clinician.

12. The method of claim 1, the operation of the selected clinician examining the patient further comprising:

the selected clinician directing the portable computer and communications interface to cooperatively engage in machine-readable communications with a remotely located electronic medical care device to report bodily conditions of the patient to the remotely located device and receive analysis based thereon.

13. The method of claim 12, the remotely located electronic medical care device including an ultrasound machine.

14. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

the selected clinician directing the portable computer and communications interface to obtain information provided by Internet web sites.

15. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

while at the patient'"'"'s premises, the selected clinician utilizing the portable computer to place orders for medical supplies over the Internet.

16. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

the mobile care entity receiving a request for medical services at a patient'"'"'s premises,

wherein the receiving a request comprises receiving patient medical information transmitted by a medical device located at the patient'"'"'s premises.

17. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising;

the mobile care entity dispatching the selected clinician to the patient'"'"'s premises,

wherein the dispatching of the selected clinician to the patients premises includes sending wireless dispatch information to the selected clinician, including patient medical record information, current medical condition information, and patient location information.

18. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to a request for medical services, transmitting a machine-readable notification of the request to a pre-registered party.

19. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to a request for medical services, transmitting a machine-readable response to the patient including at least one of the following;

posting a message upon an Internet web site, transmitting an e-mail message.

20. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to a request for medical services, transmitting a machine-readable notification of at least one of the following to the patient;

geographic location of the selected clinician, and expected arrival time of the selected clinician at the patient'"'"'s premises.

21. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to completion of the selected clinician'"'"'s visit to the patient, conducting automatic computer-driven operations including generating and transmitting an e-mail notification to a pre-registered party.

22. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to completion of the selected clinician'"'"'s visit to the patient, conducting automatic computer-driven operations including;

scheduling of a follow-up visit; and

transmitting machine-readable notification of the scheduled follow-up visit to a pre-registered party.

23. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

automated medical-condition monitoring equipment at the patient'"'"'s premises generating and transmitting a request for medical services to the mobile care entity.

24. The method of claim 1, the follow-up operations further comprising:

the selected clinician operating the portable computer to prepare and make wireless transmission of one or more orders for items related to the examination for delivery to the patient.

25. The method of claim 1, the follow-up operations further comprising:

the selected clinician operating the portable computer to prepare and make wireless transmission of information to admit the patient to a hospital.

26. A method of patient treatment comprising:

visiting a patient accompanied by a portable computer having local storage containing the patient'"'"'s medical records, a wireless communication interface, and a preselected collection of portable electronic medical care devices, at least one of the devices including a wireless device communications interface with the portable computer;

examining the patient with one or more of the portable electronic medical care devices providing outputs to the portable computer via the wireless device communications interface by applying at least one of the portable electronic medical care devices to the patient;

wirelessly transmitting the outputs of at least one of the portable electronic medical care devices to the portable computer;

storing the outputs in the local storage of the portable computer at the patient'"'"'s location;

wirelessly transmitting the outputs from the local storage of the portable computer at the patient'"'"'s location directly to at least one remote medical care device for analysis including remote treatment equipment;

analyzing the transmitted outputs by the remote treatment equipment;

wirelessly retrieving the analysis directly from the remote treatment equipment via the portable computer at the patient'"'"'s location;

storing the analysis in the local storage of the portable computer at the patient'"'"'s location;

displaying on the portable computer at the patient'"'"'s location a portion of the medical records, the outputs of the portable electronic medical care devices, and the analysis from the remote medical care device; and

treating the patient according to the information displayed on the portable computer.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising wirelessly ordering delivery of medication for the patient via the interface of the portable computer.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising wirelessly ordering delivery of medical equipment for the patient via the interface of the portable computer.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the medical treatment information comprises a request to automatically schedule a follow-up visit for the patient.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising wirelessly contacting a predetermined party as to the medical treatment information via e-mail.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising wirelessly transmitting admission information for admitting the patient to a hospital.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising sending wireless notification of a current medical care provider location.

33. A method of providing medical treatment by clinicians, comprising:

providing a plurality of mobile clinicians, with portable computers each being equipped with local storage, and with portable wireless on-site electronic medical care devices for analyzing patient conditions and for transmitting the condition information to the portable computer wirelessly;

prior to arrival of a selected one of the plurality of appropriate mobile clinicians at a given patient'"'"'s premises, wirelessly downloading to the selected portable computer from a remote central storage facility a complete medical record for the given patient to enable the mobile clinician to treat the given patient;

prior to arrival of the appropriate mobile clinician at the given patient'"'"'s premises, storing the downloaded complete medical record in the local storage in the selected portable computer of the selected mobile clinician;

transporting the selected portable computer storing the complete medical record and the wireless on-site medical care devices to the given patient'"'"'s premises by the selected mobile clinician;

applying by the selected mobile clinician at least one of the wireless on-site medical care devices to the given patient in the given patient'"'"'s premises in response to the dispatch notice;

wirelessly sending patient information from the on-site medical care devices directly to the selected portable computer at the given patient'"'"'s premises;

storing the patient information in the local storage of the selected portable computer;

directly communicating wirelessly between the selected portable computer at the given patient'"'"'s premises and at least one remote medical care device including remote treatment equipment for analyzing the patient information for the given patient;

analyzing the patient information for the given patient by the at least one remote treatment equipment;

wirelessly receiving in the selected portable computer at the given patient'"'"'s premises the analysis from the remote treatment equipment;

storing the analysis received from the remote treatment equipment in the local storage of the selected portable computer;

displaying on the selected portable computer to the selected mobile clinician in the given patient'"'"'s premises a portion of the medical record, the patient information, and the analysis from the remote treatment equipment;

treating the given patient at the given patient'"'"'s premises by the selected mobile clinician in response to the information displayed on the selected portable computer.