HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR GROUP INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONSERS

• US 20120072234A1
• Filed: 10/25/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bindu Rama Rao
• Original Assignee: Bindu Rama Rao
• Inventors: RAO, BINDU RAMA
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,195 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 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/558 Databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/559 Sorting systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A health management system for managing the healthcare data of patients, managing interactions with patients, doctors and insurance companies, and managing group messaging and data access from mobile phones of patients and doctors. The health management system facilitates interaction with a plurality of patients. It comprises a patient group management server that is communicatively coupled to a plurality of mobile devices of patients. The patient group management server in turn comprises a message interaction module, a questionnaire distribution and feedback collection module, a remote patient premises data collection module, a coaching distribution module and a content distribution service module. The patient group management server enables communication to each other of an inquiry, a response message, a coaching and guided activity, a questionnaire and relevant reference content by members of the patient group.

Claims

1. A health management system that facilitates interaction with a plurality of patients, the health management system comprising:

a patient group management server that is communicatively coupled to a plurality of mobile devices of patients, the patient group management server comprising;

a message interaction module;

a questionnaire distribution and feedback collection module;

a remote patient premises data collection module;

a coaching distribution module; and

a content distribution service module;

wherein the patient group management server receives an inquiry from one of the plurality of patients and shares it with at least one member of a patient group in which the one of the plurality of patients is a member; and

the patient group management server enables communication of at least one of a response message, a coaching and guided activity, a questionnaire and a relevant reference content by another member of the patient group in response to the inquiry.

2. The health management system of claim 1 wherein the inquiry is one of a query message in audio-assisted form, a questionnaire feedback, a remote patient data and an interest indicator survey input.

3. The health management system of claim 1 further comprising:

one of the plurality of mobile devices of patients being communicatively coupled to the patient group management server wherein the inquiry originates on the one of the plurality of mobile devices and wherein the response to the inquiry is presented by the patient group management server to the associated one of the plurality of patients via the one of the plurality of mobile devices.

4. The health management system of claim 3 wherein the one of the plurality of mobile devices comprises a mobile client that interacts with the patient group management server and displays the response message, the coaching and guided activity, the questionnaire and the relevant reference content;

the mobile client integrates messaging with voice and digital photo, display of forms and questionnaires, presenting patient care coaching and other guided activities, and data collection from patient premises medical devices; and

the mobile client validates user login locally in the mobile device first before initiating a remote login with the patient group management server.

5. The health management system of claim 1 further comprising:

one of the plurality of mobile devices originating the inquiry and wherein the response to the inquiry is either retrieved by or received by and subsequently presented by the one of the plurality of mobile devices or by more than one of the plurality of mobile devices based on membership to the patient group, a group interaction type associated with the patient group and an inquiry type associated with the inquiry.

6. The health management system of claim 2 further comprising:

the patient group management server selectively communicates an inquiry from one of the plurality of patients to an external server communicatively coupled to the patient group management server 111, based at least on one of a patient profile, an inquiry type associated with the inquiry, and a patient group information;

the patient group management server receives a response to the inquiry from the external server and forwards the response to the inquiry to at least one of the plurality of mobile devices;

the patient group management server receives followup responses from the at least one of the plurality of mobile devices and forwards at least a portion of each of the followup responses to the external server; and

the patient group management server selectively forwards a billing transaction to the external server for processing.

7. The health management system of claim 2 further comprising:

the patient group management server selectively communicating an inquiry to an external server communicatively coupled to the server, based at least on one of a patient profile, an inquiry type associated with the inquiry, and a patient group information; and

the patient group management server receiving a response to the inquiry from the external server and forwards the response to at least one of the plurality of mobile devices associated with the patients in an associated patient group targeted by the external server for the response to the inquiry.

8. The health management system of claim 2 further comprising:

the patient group management server receiving a new message addressed to recipients from the external server, wherein the recipients is a specific patient in a patient group, one or more patients from the patient group or the entire patient group, or a set of patient groups, wherein the new message comprises at least one of text, audio, digital image and video components; and

the patient group management server forwards the new message to the recipients specified.

9. The health management system of claim 2 further comprising:

a website associated with the patient group management server facilitating creation of the inquiry by one of the plurality of patients employing a browser in a laptop, tablet or mobile device communicatively coupled to the patient group management server; and

the website communicating the response to inquiry to the browser wherein the website provides the content and the ability to simultaneously display a response message, a coaching and guided activity, a questionnaire, a relevant reference content and a data collection screen on the browser for perusal and access by the one of the plurality of patients.

10. A method of operating a health management system by a patient group management server that facilitates interaction with a plurality of patients, the method comprising:

receiving, by the patient group management server that is communicatively coupled to a plurality of mobile devices of patients, an inquiry from one of the plurality of mobile devices;

creating, a response to the inquiry comprising one or more of;

a message, wherein the message is a combination of an audio component, textual component, a graphic component, a video component, a digital photo component, and a reference to some patient data;

a questionnaire for feedback;

an interest inquiry form;

a patient care related coaching instruction;

a remote data collection command; and

a reference content;

sending the response to the inquiry to at least one of the plurality of mobile devices of patients;

getting a user followup response and storing it; and

making at least one appointment selectively based on the user followup response.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

enabling a doctor to create a patient group among the plurality of patients;

providing an interface that makes it possible to send the same message, the same instructions or coaching to the patient group, wherein the message, instructions or coaching comprise information on proper habits, diet, medications and patient care;

verifying that the members of the patient group follow the instructions or coaching;

sending reminders to the patient group;

collecting data from patient premises devices for the patient group, wherein the patient premises devices generate data that need to be remotely acquired and shared with doctors and labs instantaneously; and

sharing followup response from patients and data from patient premises devices with an external insurance company server as required.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

facilitating creation of the inquiry by one of the plurality of patients employing a browser in a laptop, tablet or mobile device communicatively coupled to a website associated with, and managed by, the patient group management server; and

conveying, by the website, the response to inquiry to the browser wherein the website provides the content and the ability to simultaneously display a response message, a coaching and guided activity, a questionnaire, a relevant reference content and a data collection screen on the browser for perusal and access by the one of the plurality of patients.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing a list of messages, a list of questionnaires, a list of coaching or guided activities or a list of data collection tasks currently waiting for the user one of the plurality of mobile devices;

accepting user selection from the one of the plurality of mobile devices of an item listed in the list of messages, a list of questionnaires, a list of coaching or guided activities or a list of data collection tasks;

retrieving the item selected; and

presenting the item selected to the one of the plurality of mobile devices.

14. A method of interacting with a health management system by a mobile client in a mobile device, the method comprising:

sending an inquiry to a patient group management server that is communicatively coupled to the mobile device, wherein the inquiry has a patient provided category, type, and issue identified;

receiving, in response to the inquiry, from the patient group management server a response to the inquiry comprising one or more of;

an audio or video assisted message wherein the message is a combination of an audio component, textual component, a graphic component, a video component, a digital photo component, and a reference to some patient data;

a questionnaire for feedback;

an interest inquiry form;

a patient care related coaching instruction;

a patient premises devices data collection command; and

a reference content;

displaying the response to the inquiry for review by a user;

gathering a user input from the user;

sending the user input as a user followup response if necessary; and

getting at least one appointment selectively based on the user followup response and storing it.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

prompting the user to login, and collecting user login data before allowing the user to send inquiries, receive new messages or participate in a patient group; and

attempting to validate the user login data locally first in the mobile device before attempting a remote login validation;

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving data by the mobile client over a Bluetooth communication link in the mobile device, a WiFi communication link in the mobile device, or an USB communication link in the mobile device, wherein the Bluetooth communication link, the WiFi communication link, and the USB communication link employ a Bluetooth circuitry, a WiFI circuitry and a USB circuitry, respectively, in the mobile device;

uploading the received data to the patient group management server or to an external server; and

selectively transferring data to another device in proximity.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the mobile client displays all the components of the response to the inquiry simultaneously to the user.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the mobile client displays the various components of the response to the inquiry in its own tabbed screen, wherein the response to the inquiry comprises one or more of the following components:

an audio or video assisted message wherein the message is a combination of an audio component, textual component, a graphic component, a video component, a digital photo component, and a reference to some patient data;

a questionnaire for feedback;

an interest inquiry form;

a patient care related coaching instruction;

a patient premises devices data collection command; and

a reference content.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

showing a list of messages, a list of questionnaires, a list of coaching or guided activities or a list of data collection tasks currently waiting for the user of the mobile device;

accepting user selection of an item listed in the list of messages, a list of questionnaires, a list of coaching or guided activities or a list of data collection tasks;

retrieving the item selected; and

presenting the item selected to the user;

20. The method of claim 19 wherein each of these lists is displayed in a separate tabbed section of a main screen.