Tracking the Availability of Service Providers Across Multiple Platforms

• US 20110040569A1
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schoenberg, Roy
• Granted Patent: US 8,600,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• 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

Abstract

Amongst other things, the availability of service providers is tracked across one or more service provider networks. A status change of the service provider is identified on one or more of the service provider networks and the other service provider networks associated with the service provider is sent data indicating the changed status of the service provider.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprises:

receiving by one or more computers a status change in an availability status of a service provider on one or more service provider networks; and

causing by the one or more computers a service provider network to update the availability status of the service provider in the service provider network, with the update at least partly based on the received status change of the service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

tracking by the one or more computers the availability status of the service provider across the one or more service provider networks; and

when the availability status of the service provider is available, logging the service provider into service provider networks associated with the service provider.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more computers are part of a centralized brokerage system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

registering the service provider and the availability status of the service provider with a centralized brokerage system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving comprises:

receiving data indicating that the availability status of the service provider on one or more service provider networks associated with the service provider has changed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the service provider comprises a first service provider, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request from a consumer of services using a first one of the one or more service provider networks to consult with a second service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider; and

identifying an available service provider associated with the first service provider network that has a service provider profile satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

updating the availability status of the service provider across one or more of the one or more service provider networks.

8. (canceled)

9. A computer readable medium storing a computer program product for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive a status change in an availability status of a service provider on one or more service provider networks; and

cause a service provider network to update the availability status of the service provider in the service provider network, with the update at least partly based on the received status change of the service provider.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising instructions to:

track by the one or more computers the availability status of the service provider across the one or more service provider networks; and

when the availability status of the service provider is available, log the service provider into service provider networks associated with the service provider.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising instructions to:

use one or more centralized brokerage systems to determine the availability status of the service provider.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising instructions to:

register the service provider and the availability status of the service provider with a centralized brokerage system.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the instructions to receive comprise instructions to:

receive data indicating that the availability status of the service provider on one or more service provider networks associated with the service provider has changed.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the service provider comprises a first service provider, and wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions to:

receive a request from a consumer of services using a first one of the one or more service provider networks to consult with a second service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider; and

identify an available service provider associated with the first service provider network that has a service provider profile satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes.

15. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising instructions to:

update the availability status of the service provider across one or more of the one or more service provider networks.

16. (canceled)

17. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium storing a computer program product for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to;

receive a status change in an availability status of a service provider on one or more service provider networks; and

cause a service provider network to update the availability status of the service provider in the service provider network, with the update at least partly based on the received status change of the service provider.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the computer product further comprises instructions to:

track by the one or more computers the availability status of the service provider across the one or more service provider networks; and

when the availability status of the service provider is available, log the service provider into service provider networks associated with the service provider.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions to:

use one or more centralized brokerage systems to determine the availability status of the service provider.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the computer product further comprises instructions to:

register the service provider and the availability status of the service provider with a centralized brokerage system.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the instructions to receive comprise instructions to:

receive data indicating that the availability status of the service provider on one or more service provider networks associated with the service provider has changed.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions to:

receive a request from a consumer of services using a first one of the one or more service provider networks to consult with a second service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider; and

identify an available service provider associated with the first service provider network that has a service provider profile satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the computer product further comprises instructions to:

update the availability status of the service provider across one or more of the one or more service provider networks.

24. (canceled)

25. A computer-implemented method comprises:

tracking by one or more computers a status of a service provider'"'"'s availability for a consultation with a consumer of services;

identifying by the one or more computers a status change in the service provider'"'"'s present availability;

determining by the one or more computers a list of networks associated with the service provider; and

sending a message to one or more computer systems associated with the networks included in the list to update, based on the identified status change, the service provider'"'"'s status in one or more of the networks.