SYSTEM AND METHODS OF OBTAINING REIMBURSEMENTS FOR PATIENT TREATMENT

• US 20090216553A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Health Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Global Health Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Cellura, Alfred
• Granted Patent: US 8,595,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients

Abstract

A method of selecting a dressing for treating a patient'"'"'s wound includes providing a database of dressings and dressing information corresponding to each dressing, the dressing information including an indication of whether the dressing is reimbursable. The method also includes observing a patient'"'"'s wound, recording characteristics of the patient'"'"'s wound, comparing the characteristics of the patient'"'"'s wound to the database, displaying to a user a list of one or more dressings usable for treating the wound, and an indication of whether the dressing is reimbursable. The method further includes selecting a dressing for treating the wound from the list.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a dressing for treating a patient'"'"'s wound, comprising:

providing a database of dressings and dressing information corresponding to each dressing, the dressing information including an indication of whether the dressing is reimbursable;

observing a patient'"'"'s wound;

recording characteristics of the patient'"'"'s wound;

comparing the characteristics of the patient'"'"'s wound to the database;

displaying to a user a list of one or more dressings usable for treating the wound and the indication of whether the dressing is reimbursable; and

selecting a dressing from the list for treating the wound.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the selected dressing is automatically ordered from a third party.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more dressings on the list is a reimbursable dressing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more dressings on the list are displayed in an order of preferred usage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the list consists of a preferred dressing and wherein the selecting step comprises accepting or rejecting the preferred dressing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein when the preferred dressing is rejected, a secondary list of dressings is provided comprising one or more dressings for treating the wound.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising, when the preferred dressing is rejected, prompting the user to provide reasons for rejecting the preferred dressing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein prompting the user comprises displaying a questionnaire for completion by the user.

9. A method of treating a patient comprising:

monitoring a wound of the patient at regular intervals;

recording characteristics of the wound at each of the regular intervals;

comparing the recorded characteristics of the wound to a database containing predetermined wound treatment information; and

displaying the predetermined treatment information corresponding to the recorded characteristics as a treatment methodology to be followed by a health-care giver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristics of the wound include one or more of shape, color, discharge, and size.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the treatment methodology comprises at least one dressing for use in treating the wound.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the display step comprises displaying a list of treatment options.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising a step of selecting one of the treatment options from the list of treatment options.

14. The method of claim 13, each of the treatment options comprising a dressing for treating the wound, and each of the dressing having reimbursement information associated therewith.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the dressing and the associated reimbursement information are displayed on the list of treatment options.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting a dressing from the list.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically purchasing the selected dressing.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined treatment information comprises one or more treatments and the treatments are displayed in the display step, further comprising the step of selecting one of the treatments.

19. A method of selecting a medical device comprising:

monitoring a malady of a patient;

recording characteristics of the monitored malady;

comparing the recorded characteristics to a database containing treatments for maladies, each of the treatments comprising a medical device, each medical device having associated reimbursement information indicating whether the medical device is reimbursable;

displaying to a user a list of the medical devices capable of treating the malady and the associated reimbursement information;

selecting, via the user, one of the medical devices on the list;

ordering the selected medical device from a medical device supplier; and

requesting a reimbursement for the selected medical device when the reimbursement information associated with the selected medical device indicates that the selected medical device is reimbursable.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising alerting the user when the reimbursement information associated with the selected medical device indicates that the selected medical device is not reimbursable.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein, in the displaying step, only the medical devices that may be reimbursable are displayed.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein one preferred medical device is displayed in the displaying step.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the user accepts or rejects the preferred medical device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein when the user rejects the preferred medical device, a secondary list is displayed having additional medical devices capable of treating the malady.

25. A method of selecting a dressing for a wound comprising:

providing a database of dressings and dressing information corresponding to each dressing, the dressing information including an indication of whether the dressing is reimbursable;

observing a patient'"'"'s wound;

determining a type of the wound;

comparing the type of the wound to the database;

displaying to a user a list of one or more dressings usable for treating the wound;

selecting a dressing from the list of one or more dressings; and

indicating whether the dressing is reimbursable.