System And Method For Improved Medical Billing, Payment, Record Keeping And Patient Care

• US 20110022415A1
• Filed: 10/03/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kumar Patel Yogesh
• Original Assignee: Kumar Patel Yogesh
• Inventors: Yogesh, Kumar Patel
• Application Number:
  US12/896,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022415A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A system and method for improved medical billing, payment, record keeping and patient care. The system and method includes a patient room computer containing a time clock algorithm, an electronic card reader connected to the patient room computer for reading a patient electronic card and for providing patient information contained on the patient electronic card to the patient room computer, a medical practitioner electronic security key operatively coupled to the time clock algorithm, a digital audio recording and storage device coupled to the patient room computer for recording and storing discussions between a medical practitioner and a patient, and a means for activating the digital audio recording and storage device when a medical practitioner enters a patient room.

Claims

1. A computer based system for improved medical billing, payment, record keeping and patient care comprising:

a.) a patient room computer containing a computerized time clock system;

b.) an electronic card reader connected to the patient room computer for reading a patient electronic card and for providing patient information contained on the patient electronic card to the patient room computer;

c.) a medical practitioner electronic security key operatively coupled to to the computerized time clock system;

d.) a digital audio recording and storage device coupled to the patient room computer for recording and storing discussions between a medical practitioner and a patient; and

e.) a means for activating the digital audio recording and storage device when a medical practitioner enters a patient room.

2. The computer based system of claim 1 wherein the computer based system further comprises a medical practice server coupled to the patient room computer.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer based system further comprises templates and guidelines for treatment.

4. The computer based system of claim 1 wherein the medical practitioner electronic security key is a password.

5. The computer based system of claim 1 wherein the computer based system further comprises a billing algorithm.

6. The computer based system of claim 1 wherein the computer based system further comprises an electronic interface to an insurance company server.

7. The computer based system of claim 1 wherein the computer based system further comprises an electronic interface to a national clearing house server.

8. A computerized time clock system for medical billing comprising:

a.) a patient electronic card input;

b.) a physician electronic security key input;

c.) a billing timer that is activated when both a valid patient electronic card input and a valid physician electronic security key input are received by the computerized time clock system;

d.) a hold function to temporarily stop and restart the billing timer;

e.) a soft signal to alert a medical practitioner and a patient to passage of a pre-programmed time interval;

f.) a means for stopping the billing timer upon completion of a patient visit; and

g.) a means for transferring billing information collected by the computerized time clock system to a medical billing system.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the soft signal is audible.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the soft signal is visual.

11. A method of billing for medical services comprising the steps of:

a.) Preparing pay scale data that contains pay scales for various medical practitioners;

b.) Recording a total billing time for medical services given by a medical practitioner to a patient on a specific time and date;

c.) Establishing a base time and a base charge for medical services given by the medical practitioner from the pay scale data;

d.) Determining a variable time for medical services by subtracting the base time from the total billing time;

e.) Determining a variable charge for medical services by multiplying the variable time by pay scale data for the medical practitioner;

f) Determining a total charge for medical services by adding the base charge to the variable charge; and

g.) Sending the total charge for medical services to a medical billing system for use in producing an invoice for medical services.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the base charge divided by the base time is greater than the variable charge.

13. A method of determining a medical copayment comprising the steps of:

a.) Preparing copayment data that contains a base charge time, a base copayment, and an additional copayment rate;

b.) determining a copayment time by subtracting a total billing time for medical services given by a medical practitioner to a patient on a specific time and date from the base charge time;

c.) determining a variable copayment by multiplying the copayment time by the additional copayment rate;

d.) determining a total copayment by adding the base copayment to the variable copayment; and

e.) Sending the total copayment to a medical billing system for use in producing an invoice for medical services.

14. A method of billing for medical services comprising the steps of

a.) determining a total billing amount by adding a total charge to a total copayment;

b.) issuing a payment for the total billing amount by an insurance company to a medical practitioner; and

c.) billing of the total billing amount by an insurance company to a patient of the medical practitioner.

15. A patient electronic card for improved medical billing, payment, record keeping and patient care comprising:

a.) an insurance information module that contains medical insurance information;

b.) memory for storing the medical insurance information; and

c.) a security identification element operatively coupled to said patient electronic card.