METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION SERVICES PROVISIONING FOR HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing an integrated communication services (ICS) network that permits wireless and wireline data subscribers to share information on a hospital campus using wireless or wireline local area networks, or to seamlessly tap into the facility'"'"'s central database while in transit away from the hospital. Users interface with the ICS network through the use of a point of care terminal that resembles a clipboard and accepts data entry from a stylus on an touch screen. The central database, referred to as the integrated communications clearinghouse (ICC) is adapted to store a communication profile for every network server on the ICS network. The ICC also maintains a Global Patient Profile (GPP), consisting of a patient profile for every patient ever added to the network. The GPP provides the ICC with the capability of providing aggregated data and demographic information (with or without patient identification), creating “live” public health statistics through a single query to a central server. To access the ICS, a user at a point of care terminal can utilize several paths in order to deliver data to its destination. This may include existing off-the-shelf PCMCIA based peripherals such as: wireless LANS, standard wired Ethernet LAN, a land line Modem, or wireless wide area networks. The wireless wide area networks may also include several data paths such as a circuit switched cellular, or packet based Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD). The actual selection of a particular channel will be service-dependent and a function of the user whereabouts, the desired quality of the connection, and the costs of the connection.
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Citations
92 Claims
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1-47. -47. (canceled)
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48. A method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, from a user, a request to initiate access to a network, the network including; a plurality of point-of-care terminals; at least one integrated communications clearinghouse (ICC) database server; at least one database associated with the ICC database server; and a plurality of network servers; granting the user access to the network; selecting a channel to establish a communication link between the network and the user; exchanging data with the user via the selected channel; and terminating the communication link according to at least one of a demand from the user or a technical demand of the communication link. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A system comprising:
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an antenna for wireless communication; an integrated communications services (ICS) module including a memory device containing stored instructions; and at least one electronic processor coupled to the memory device and executing instructions to enable; receiving, from a user, a request to initiate access to a network, the network including; a plurality of point-of-care terminals; at least one integrated communications clearinghouse (ICC) database server; at least one database associated with the ICC database server; and a plurality of network servers; granting the user access to the network; selecting a channel to establish a communication link between the network and the user; exchanging data with the user via the selected channel; and terminating the communication link according to at least one of a demand from the user or a technical demand of the communication link. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, from a care-provider providing care to a patient, a request to initiate access to a network, the network including; a plurality of point-of-care terminals; at least one integrated communications clearinghouse (ICC) database server; at least one database associated with the ICC database server, the database including data relating to patients at least one medical institution; and a plurality of network servers; granting the care-provider access to the network; selecting a channel to establish a communication link between the network and the care-provider; exchanging data with the care-provider via the selected channel, at least a portion of the exchanged data relating to at least one of the patient or the care provided to the patient; and terminating the communication link according to at least one of a demand from the care-provider or a technical demand of the communication link. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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Specification