Computational systems and methods for health services planning and matching

• US 20100235183A1
• Filed: 10/05/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rinaldo, John D. JR., Karkanias, Chris Demetrios, Tegreene, Clarence T., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Firminger, Shawn P., Garms, Jason, Hyde, Roderick A., Malamud, Mark A., Tolle, Kristin M., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Application Number:
  US12/587,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20100235183A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Systems and methods are described relating to accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual; determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status; comparing at least two determined health service options; and providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

means for accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual;

means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status;

means for comparing at least two determined health service options; and

means for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

means for accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

means for accepting health care provider input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

means for accepting patient input including an indication of at least one health-related status of the patient.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

means for accepting health maintenance organization input including an indication of at least one health-related status of a patient.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

means for accepting insurer input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an insured individual.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

means for accepting an indication of at least one medical diagnosis.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for accepting an indication of at least one medical diagnosis comprises:

means for accepting an indication of at least one of an oncologic diagnosis, a cardiac diagnosis, a neurologic diagnosis, a pulmonary diagnosis, a hematologic diagnosis, an infectious diagnosis, a vascular diagnosis, a gastrointestinal diagnosis, an hepatobiliary diagnosis, a renal diagnosis, a metabolic diagnosis, a genetic diagnosis, a musculoskeletal diagnosis, a urologic diagnosis, a gynecologic diagnosis, an obstetric diagnosis, a rheumatologic diagnosis, an otolaryngologic diagnosis, or a dermatologic diagnosis.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

means for accepting an indication of at least one symptom.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the means for accepting an indication of at least one symptom comprises:

means for accepting an indication of at least one of pain, cardiac complaint, neurologic complaint, pulmonary complaint, hematologic complaint, infectious complaint, vascular complaint, gastrointestinal complaint, hepatobiliary complaint, renal complaint, metabolic complaint, musculoskeletal complaint, urologic complaint, gynecologic complaint, rheumatologic complaint, otolaryngologic complaint, or dermatologic complaint.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the means for accepting an indication of at least one symptom comprises:

means for accepting an indication of a symptom profile.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the means for accepting an indication of a symptom profile comprises:

means for accepting an indication of at least one of a symptom frequency, a symptom ranking, or a symptom severity.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

means for accepting an indication of at least one health-related condition.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for accepting an indication of at least one health-related condition comprises:

means for accepting an indication of at least one goal.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the means for accepting an indication of at least one goal comprises:

means for accepting an indication of at least one of a short-term goal, a long-term goal, an achievement goal, or a stability goal.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein means for accepting an indication of at least one goal comprises:

means for accepting an indication of at least one of pregnancy, cosmetic manipulation goal, well-being goal, or dietary goal.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for receiving one or more results of at least one determined health service option.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for receiving one or more results of at least one determined health service option comprises:

means for receiving one or more results of at least one determined health service option from a remote location.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for presenting a sequence of diagnostic or treatment options based on the indication of at least one health-related status.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for presenting a sequence of diagnostic or treatment options based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for presenting the sequence of diagnostic or treatment options in a decision-tree format.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for presenting a sequence of diagnostic or treatment options based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for presenting the sequence of diagnostic or treatment options with at least one of testing side effect data, treatment side effect data, or testing outcome data, treatment outcome data.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for presenting a sequence of diagnostic or treatment options based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for presenting at least one of a specified number of diagnostic or treatment options for a given stage of testing or treatment, a specified number of branch points for a given course of testing or treatment, or a specified number of decision levels for a given course of testing or treatment.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one type of treatment.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one type of treatment comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one of an invasive treatment, a non-invasive treatment, a treatment type having a specified risk attribute, a treatment type approved by a third party, or a treatment associated with a specific substance.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one of a location preference or a time frame preference.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one recognized health care provider.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one health care provider that is compatible with the payment capacity of the individual.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one health care provider that is compatible with the payment capacity of the individual comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one health care provider that accepts at least one of Medicare, Medicaid, uninsured patients, workers'"'"' compensation, or supplemental health insurance.

30. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one health care provider able to see the individual within a specified time period.

31. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one of a health care provider reported to have the best clinical outcomes for a given diagnosis, a health care provider giving the lowest-cost care for a given diagnosis, a health care provider having a highly-rated bedside manner, a health care provider recommended by her peers, or a health care provider located within a specific geographical proximity to the individual.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for determining at least one of surgery, prescription drug therapy, over-the-counter drug therapy, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, ultrasound treatment, laser treatment, a minimally invasive procedure, antibody therapy, cryotherapy, hormonal therapy, or gene therapy.

33. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for determining at least one of treatment by a medical doctor, treatment by a naturopathic doctor, treatment by an acupuncturist, treatment by an herbalist, self-treatment, or taking no action for a period of time.

34. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for determining at least one of a diagnosis option set or a treatment option set.

35. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and at least one of a standard of care, an expert opinion, an insurance company evaluation, or research data.

36. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for determining at least one of a list of diagnosticians, a list of clinicians, a list of therapists, a list of dentists, a list of optometrists, a list of pharmacists, a list of nurses, a list of chiropractors, a list of opthamologists, a list of surgeons, a list of osteopaths, or a list of alternative medicine practitioners.

37. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for determining at least one list of treatment centers.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the means for determining at least one list of treatment centers comprises:

means for determining at least one of a list of clinics, a list of hospitals, a list of medical offices, or a list of alternative medicine practice offices.

39. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for using at least one third party reference to determine the at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the means for using at least one third party reference to determine the at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for using at least one of a search engine, a Deep Web search program, a web crawler, an online database, or an online directory to determine the at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status.

41. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

means for updating the at least one health service option.

42. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for comparing at least two determined health service options comprises:

means for comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the means for comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option comprises:

means for comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option to the individual.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein the means for comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option comprises:

means for comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option to a group of individuals.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the means for comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option to a group of individuals comprises:

means for comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option to a group of individuals with at least one of the same or similar at least one health-related status as the individual.

46. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for comparing at least two determined health service options comprises:

means for determining a preferred health service option.

47. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for comparing at least two determined health service options comprises:

means for determining a secondary health service option.

48. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for comparing at least two determined health service options comprises:

means for determining a health service option contraindication.

49. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for comparing at least two determined health service options comprises:

means for receiving one or more results of at least one compared health service option.

50. The system of claim 49 wherein the means for receiving one or more results of at least one compared health service option comprises:

means for receiving one or more results of at least one compared health service option from a remote location.

51. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

means for providing an auction system for procurement of the desired health service option by the individual.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein the means for providing an auction system for procurement of the desired health service option by the individual comprises:

means for providing a reverse auction system for procurement of the desired health service option.

53. The system of claim 51 wherein the means for providing an auction system for procurement of the desired health service option by the individual comprises:

means for providing at least one of a no-bid auction system, an English auction system, a proxy bidding system, a Dutch auction system, a buyout auction, or a sealed first-price auction.

54. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

means for providing a matching system weighted toward rapid procurement of the desired health service option.

55. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

means for providing a matching system weighted toward procurement of one or more low-cost desired health service options.

56. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

means for providing a matching system weighted toward procurement of a high-quality desired health service option.

57. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

means for providing a matching system weighted toward procurement of a locally-available desired health service option.

58. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

means for providing a matching system weighted toward procurement of a geographically-specified desired health service option.

59. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

means for providing a web 2.0 matching system for procurement of a desired health service option.

60. A computer-implemented method comprising:

accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual;

determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status;

comparing at least two determined health service options; and

providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option.

61. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual.

62. The computer-implemented method of claim 61 wherein the accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

accepting health care provider input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual.

63. The computer-implemented method of claim 61 wherein the accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

accepting patient input including an indication of at least one health-related status of the patient.

64. The computer-implemented method of claim 61 wherein the accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

accepting health maintenance organization input including an indication of at least one health-related status of a patient.

65. The computer-implemented method of claim 61 wherein the accepting user input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

accepting insurer input including an indication of at least one health-related status of an insured individual.

66. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

accepting an indication of at least one medical diagnosis.

67. The computer-implemented method of claim 66 wherein the accepting an indication of at least one medical diagnosis comprises:

accepting an indication of at least one of an oncologic diagnosis, a cardiac diagnosis, a neurologic diagnosis, a pulmonary diagnosis, a hematologic diagnosis, an infectious diagnosis, a vascular diagnosis, a gastrointestinal diagnosis, an hepatobiliary diagnosis, a renal diagnosis, a metabolic diagnosis, a genetic diagnosis, a musculoskeletal diagnosis, a urologic diagnosis, a gynecologic diagnosis, an obstetric diagnosis, a rheumatologic diagnosis, an otolaryngologic diagnosis, or a dermatologic diagnosis.

68. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

accepting an indication of at least one symptom.

69. The computer-implemented method of claim 68 wherein the accepting an indication of at least one symptom comprises:

accepting an indication of at least one of pain, cardiac complaint, neurologic complaint, pulmonary complaint, hematologic complaint, infectious complaint, vascular complaint, gastrointestinal complaint, hepatobiliary complaint, renal complaint, metabolic complaint, musculoskeletal complaint, urologic complaint, gynecologic complaint, rheumatologic complaint, otolaryngologic complaint, or dermatologic complaint.

70. The computer-implemented method of claim 68 wherein the accepting an indication of at least one symptom comprises:

accepting an indication of a symptom profile.

71. The computer-implemented method of claim 70 wherein the accepting an indication of a symptom profile comprises:

accepting an indication of at least one of a symptom frequency, a symptom ranking, or a symptom severity.

72. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual comprises:

accepting an indication of at least one health-related condition.

73. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the accepting an indication of at least one health-related condition comprises:

accepting an indication of at least one goal.

74. The computer-implemented method of claim 73 wherein the accepting an indication of at least one goal comprises:

accepting an indication of at least one of a short-term goal, a long-term goal, an achievement goal, or a stability goal.

75. The computer-implemented method of claim 73 wherein accepting an indication of at least one goal comprises:

accepting an indication of at least one of pregnancy, cosmetic manipulation goal, well-being goal, or dietary goal.

76. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

receiving one or more results of at least one determined health service option.

77. The computer-implemented method of claim 76 wherein the receiving one or more results of at least one determined health service option comprises:

receiving one or more results of at least one determined health service option from a remote location.

78. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

presenting a sequence of diagnostic or treatment options based on the indication of at least one health-related status.

79. The computer-implemented method of claim 78 wherein the presenting a sequence of diagnostic or treatment options based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

presenting the sequence of diagnostic or treatment options in a decision-tree format.

80. The computer-implemented method of claim 78 wherein the presenting a sequence of diagnostic or treatment options based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

presenting the sequence of diagnostic or treatment options with at least one of testing side effect data, treatment side effect data, or testing outcome data, treatment outcome data.

81. The computer-implemented method of claim 78 wherein the presenting a sequence of diagnostic or treatment options based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

presenting at least one of a specified number of diagnostic or treatment options for a given stage of testing or treatment, a specified number of branch points for a given course of testing or treatment, or a specified number of decision levels for a given course of testing or treatment.

82. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual.

83. The computer-implemented method of claim 82 wherein the determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one type of treatment.

84. The computer-implemented method of claim 83 wherein the determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one type of treatment comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one of an invasive treatment, a non-invasive treatment, a treatment type having a specified risk attribute, a treatment type approved by a third party, or a treatment associated with a specific substance.

85. The computer-implemented method of claim 82 wherein the determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one of a location preference or a time frame preference.

86. The computer-implemented method of claim 82 wherein the determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one recognized health care provider.

87. The computer-implemented method of claim 82 wherein the determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one health care provider that is compatible with the payment capacity of the individual.

88. The computer-implemented method of claim 87 wherein the determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one health care provider that is compatible with the payment capacity of the individual comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one health care provider that accepts at least one of Medicare, Medicaid, uninsured patients, workers'"'"' compensation, or supplemental health insurance.

89. The computer-implemented method of claim 82 wherein the determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one health care provider able to see the individual within a specified time period.

90. The computer-implemented method of claim 82 wherein the determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and based on at least one preference of the individual comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on at least one of a health care provider reported to have the best clinical outcomes for a given diagnosis, a health care provider giving the lowest-cost care for a given diagnosis, a health care provider having a highly-rated bedside manner, a health care provider recommended by her peers, or a health care provider located within a specific geographical proximity to the individual.

91. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

determining at least one of surgery, prescription drug therapy, over-the-counter drug therapy, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, ultrasound treatment, laser treatment, a minimally invasive procedure, antibody therapy, cryotherapy, hormonal therapy, or gene therapy.

92. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

determining at least one of treatment by a medical doctor, treatment by a naturopathic doctor, treatment by an acupuncturist, treatment by an herbalist, self-treatment, or taking no action for a period of time.

93. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

determining at least one of a diagnosis option set or a treatment option set.

94. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

determining at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status and at least one of a standard of care, an expert opinion, an insurance company evaluation, or research data.

95. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

determining at least one of a list of diagnosticians, a list of clinicians, a list of therapists, a list of dentists, a list of optometrists, a list of pharmacists, a list of nurses, a list of chiropractors, a list of opthamologists, a list of surgeons, a list of osteopaths, or a list of alternative medicine practitioners.

96. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

determining at least one list of treatment centers.

97. The computer-implemented method of claim 96 wherein the determining at least one list of treatment centers comprises:

determining at least one of a list of clinics, a list of hospitals, a list of medical offices, or a list of alternative medicine practice offices.

98. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

using at least one third party reference to determine the at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status.

99. The computer-implemented method of claim 98 wherein the using at least one third party reference to determine the at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

using at least one of a search engine, a Deep Web search program, a web crawler, an online database, or an online directory to determine the at least one health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status.

100. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status comprises:

updating the at least one health service option.

101. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the comparing at least two determined health service options comprises:

comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option.

102. The computer-implemented method of claim 101 wherein the comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option comprises:

comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option to the individual.

103. The computer-implemented method of claim 101 wherein the comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option comprises:

comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option to a group of individuals.

104. The computer-implemented method of claim 103 wherein the comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option to a group of individuals comprises:

comparing a proposed health service option with a result of at least one previously administered health service option to a group of individuals with at least one of the same or similar at least one health-related status as the individual.

105. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the comparing at least two determined health service options further comprises:

determining a preferred health service option.

106. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the comparing at least two determined health service options further comprises:

determining a secondary health service option.

107. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the comparing at least two determined health service options further comprises:

determining a health service option contraindication.

108. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the comparing at least two determined health service options comprises:

receiving one or more results of at least one compared health service option.

109. The computer-implemented method of claim 108 wherein the receiving one or more results of at least one determined health service option comprises:

receiving one or more results of at least one compared health service option from a remote location.

110. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

providing an auction system for procurement of the desired health service option by the individual.

111. The computer-implemented method of claim 110 wherein the providing an auction system for procurement of the desired health service option by the individual comprises:

providing a reverse auction system for procurement of the desired health service option.

112. The computer-implemented method of claim 110 wherein the providing an auction system for procurement of the desired health service option by the individual comprises:

providing at least one of a no-bid auction system, an English auction system, a proxy bidding system, a Dutch auction system, a buyout auction, or a sealed first-price auction.

113. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

providing a matching system weighted toward rapid procurement of the desired health service option.

114. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

providing a matching system weighted toward procurement of one or more low-cost desired health service options.

115. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

providing a matching system weighted toward procurement of a high-quality desired health service option.

116. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

providing a matching system weighted toward procurement of a locally-available desired health service option.

117. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

providing a matching system weighted toward procurement of a geographically-specified desired health service option.

118. The computer-implemented method of claim 60 wherein the providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option comprises:

providing a web 2.0 matching system for procurement of a desired health service option.

119. A system comprising:

circuitry for accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual;

circuitry for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status;

circuitry for comparing at least two determined health service options; and

circuitry for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option.

120. A computer program product comprising:

a signal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructions for accepting an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual;

one or more instructions for determining a plurality of health service options for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status;

one or more instructions for comparing at least two determined health service options; and

one or more instructions for providing a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option.

121. The computer program product of claim 120, wherein the signal-bearing medium includes a computer-readable medium.

122. The computer program product of claim 120, wherein the signal-bearing medium includes a recordable medium.

123. The computer program product of claim 120, wherein the signal-bearing medium includes a communications medium.

124. A system comprising:

a computing device; and

instructions that when executed on the computing device cause the computing device to

accept an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual;

determine a health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status;

compare at least two determined health service options; and

provide a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option.

125. The system of claim 124 wherein the computing device comprises:

one or more of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal entertainment device, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a tablet personal computer, a networked computer, a computing system comprised of a cluster of processors, a computing system comprised of a cluster of servers, a workstation computer, and/or a desktop computer.

126. The system of claim 124 wherein the computing device is operable to accept an indication of at least one health-related status of an individual;

determine a health service option for the individual based on the indication of at least one health-related status;

compare at least two determined health service options; and

provide a matching system for procurement of a desired health service option.