Conversational Virtual Healthcare Assistant

• US 20140337048A1
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Next IT Corporation (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brown, Fred A., Lawrence, Mitchell G., Morrison, Victor O'Brien
• Granted Patent: US 9,824,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

A conversation user interface enables patients to better understand their healthcare by integrating diagnosis, treatment, medication management, and payment, through a system that uses a virtual assistant to engage in conversation with the patient. The conversation user interface conveys a visual representation of a conversation between the virtual assistant and the patient. An identity of the patient, including preferences and medical records, is maintained throughout all interactions so that each aspect of this integrated system has access to the same information. The conversation user interface presents allows the patient to interact with the virtual assistant using natural language commands to receive information and complete task related to his or her healthcare.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

causing display of a conversation user interface of a virtual assistant;

receiving user input of a medical-related user, the user input comprising at least one of verbal input, keypad input, or touch input;

determining a response to the user input based at least in part on a medical record and a context of the user input; and

representing the response in the conversation user interface as a message from the virtual assistant.

22. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the user input is verbal input, and the verbal input is represented in the conversation user interface in a text format through a speech recognition engine.

23. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein:

the user input is verbal input; and

the acts further comprise authenticating an identity of the medical-related user through analysis of voice patterns contained in the verbal input.

24. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the context comprises past behavior of the medical-related user.

25. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the context comprises a status of the medical-related user as checked in or checked out of a healthcare facility.

26. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the response to the user input is determined based on at least one of medical research results, nutrition information, or insurance information.

27. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the acts further comprise, in response to receiving the user input:

parsing the user input to identify one or more concepts expressed therein; and

determining an intent of the medical-related user based at least in part on the one or more concepts and the context;

wherein the response to the user input is determined based at least in part on the intent.

28. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the context comprises:

whether or not the medical-related user has checked in with a healthcare entity;

a status of a medical device used by the medical-related user;

a level of insurance coverage available to the medical-related user;

a prescription medication used by the medical-related user;

a diagnosed condition of the medical-related user;

a time of day at which the medical-related user provides the user input to the virtual assistant;

a date on which the medical-related user provides the user input to the virtual assistant;

an age of the medical-related user;

a location of the medical-related user;

or

a device type from which the medical-related user provides the user input.

29. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the acts further comprise causing an action to be performed on behalf of the medical-related user, the action comprising at least one of:

scheduling a medial appointment on behalf of the medical-related user;

initiating a prescription refill request on behalf of the medical-related user;

accessing data from a medical device on behalf of the medical-related user;

communicating with an insurance provider on behalf of the medical-related user;

or

altering a previously initiated action on behalf of the medical-related user.

30. A portable computing device comprising:

the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21; and

the one or more processors to execute the computer-executable instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media to perform the acts.

31. A computing system comprising:

one or more servers for hosting content;

the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 21; and

the one or more processors to execute the computer-executable instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media to perform the acts.

32. A method comprising:

causing, by one or more processors, a virtual assistant to be output to enable a conversation between a user and the virtual assistant;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a medical query during the conversation; and

providing, by the one or more processors, a response to the medical query via the virtual assistant, the response being based at least in part on context, the context comprising at least one of;

a treatment regimen;

a health status of a patient;

health insurance eligibility;

a medical diagnostic algorithm;

a medical condition;

medical research;

nutrition information;

a medical record of a patient;

prescription medication for a patient;

a healthcare entity for a patient;

a reading of a medical device;

or

an insurance record of a patient.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the response from the virtual assistant is provided as audio output.

34. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the medical query relates to a medical condition of the user.

35. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the response includes information about a comparison between a metric of a patient and a metric for a typical individual.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the metric of the patient is obtained from at least one of an electronic medical record of the patient, input provided by the patient, a result of a test administered to the patient, or data from a medical device used by the patient.

37. A portable computing device comprising:

one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions; and

the one or more processors to execute the computer-executable instructions stored on the computer-readable media to perform the method of claim 32.

38. An electronic device, comprising:

a memory;

at least one processor;

a display; and

a conversation application stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to facilitate a conversation with a patient by providing a conversation graphical user interface (GUI) to be displayed on the display, the conversation GUI comprising;

an entry portion to receive, from the patient, an input in a form of speech or text; and

an area to visually convey the conversation, the area configured to present user dialog representations associated with the input from the patient and device dialog representations associated with responses from a virtual assistant, at least one user dialog representation including diagnostics information related to a medical condition of the patient.

39. The electronic device of claim 38, further comprising:

a diagnostic application stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to facilitate diagnosing the medical condition of the patient, the diagnosis being presented as a response in the conversation GUI.

40. The electronic device of claim 39, wherein the diagnostic application facilitates the diagnosis based on at least one of medical records of the patient or real-time communication with a medical professional.

41. The electronic device of claim 38, further comprising a treatment application stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to facilitate the patient obtaining treatment for the medical condition.

42. The electronic device of claim 41, wherein the treatment application facilitates the patient obtaining treatment by at least one of (i) using a disease management algorithm or (ii) assisting the patient in making appointments with a medical professional.

43. The electronic device of claim 38, further comprising a medication management application stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to facilitate the patient obtaining and using medication by at least one of (i) submitting prescription requests to a pharmacy for the patient or (ii) reminding the patient when to take the medication.

44. The electronic device of claim 38, further comprising a payment application stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to facilitate at least one of (i) submission of insurance claims for payment of healthcare expenses (ii) providing the patient an estimate of insurance coverage for a procedure or (iii) processing payment authorization from the patient to make a payment to a healthcare entity.