Interactive telephony system

• US 6,680,999 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2000
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mumps Audiofax Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mumps Audiofax Incorporated
• Inventors: Garcia, Alfredo
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/507,841
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/37, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.11, 379/74, 379/77, 379/88.11, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.24, 379/88.25, 379/90.01, 379/93.12, 379/101.01, 379/41, 379/51, 379/52
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• 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

Interactive medication data systems and methods are provided which include automated means for providing information pursuant to telephonic and electronic requests from callers. The system includes a database containing information for patients and a variety of medications, a host system database containing prescription data for these medications, and means for receiving an incoming audio communication relating to a request for information concerning a specific medication. The audio communication contains a unique personal identifier which can be mapped to one patient in the host system database. The system then prompts the caller with a menu of selections relating to the patient'"'"'s active prescriptions, such as, refill or dosage requirements. The caller then selects an option which produces a selection signal. The selection signal guides the system to look for specific data in the database and the system produces an audio or visual response to the caller.

Claims

1. A method for accessing medical information in a database, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database a patient profile which includes a plurality of data pertaining to a patient;

(b) receiving an update to the patient profile and storing the update in the database;

(c) automatically providing a first message including data from the update, if an audio communication is received which contains an identifier corresponding to the patient after the update is received; and

(d) automatically generating a telephone call to the patient, if the audio communication is not received within a predetermined period of time after the update is received, the telephone call including a second message informing the patient that an update is available.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(e) automatically providing the first message including information from the update, if the audio communication is received within a second predetermined period of time after the telephone call.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (d) includes automatically determining whether the telephone call is answered by a human or a machine.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

(e) collecting data indicating whether the audio communication is received within the second predetermined period after step (d) is executed.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the update to the patient'"'"'s profile is due to an upcoming appointment, the method further comprising the steps of:

(f) performing steps (a) through (e) a plurality of times;

(g) automatically determining whether the appointment is more likely to be kept when the telephone call is answered by a human than when the telephone call is answered by a machine, said determining being based on the data collected in step (e).

6. A method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

(f) performing steps (a) through (e) a plurality of times;

(g) automatically calculating statistics for an amount of time between the telephone call and the audio communication.

7. A method according to claim 2, further comprising automatically generating a letter to the patient if the audio communication is not received within the second predetermined period, the letter containing a text transcription of the first message.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(e) playing an audio menu for the patient, said audio menu including options for scheduling an appointment, requesting information about a medical condition, requesting information about a medication, and refilling or renewing a prescription.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(e) playing an audio menu for the patient, said audio menu including a set of options that are specific to the patient.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(e) including in the patient profile a date and a time of an appointment of the patient;

(f) automatically generating and transmitting an electronic communication to the patient a predetermined number of days before the date of the appointment, the electronic communication including information related to the date and time of the appointment.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the electronic communication is a telephone call.

12. A method for accessing medical information in a database, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database a patient profile which includes a plurality of data pertaining to a patient;

(b) receiving an update to the patient profile and storing the update in the database;

(c) automatically providing a first message including data from the update, if an audio communication is received which contains an identifier corresponding to the patient after the update is received;

(d) receiving a request from the patient in response to the first message, the request indicating a preferred appointment time for the patient; and

(e) automatically scheduling an appointment for the patient based on the request, and

(f) automatically storing the appointment in the database.

13. A method for managing patient appointment data in a database, the appointment data identifying a patient and a date and time of an appointment of the patient, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database a patient profile which includes the date and time of the appointment of the patient;

(b) automatically generating and transmitting a telephone call to the patient a predetermined number of days before the date of the appointment, the telephone call including information related to the date and time of the appointment;

(c) detecting a telephone company intercept tone; and

(d) generating and transmitting a notification requesting a confirmation of the address of the patient in response to the intercept tone.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

(c) receiving authentication information from the patient during the telephone call; and

(d) identifying the date and time of the appointment in response to the authentication information.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

(e) receiving an from the patient that the patient is unable to keep the appointment after step (d);

(f) automatically providing a reminder to the patient to reschedule the appointment.

16. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

automatically determining whether the telephone call is answered by a machine.

17. A method for managing patient appointment data in a database, the appointment data identifying a patient and a date and time of an appointment of the patient, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database a patient profile which includes the date and time of the appointment of the patient;

(b) automatically generating and transmitting a telephone call to the patient a predetermined number of days before the date of the appointment, the telephone call including information related to the date and time of the appointment; and

(c) automatically generating a letter to the patient if the telephone call is answered by a machine, the letter including the date and time of the appointment.

18. A method for managing patient appointment data in a database, the appointment data identifying a patient and a date and time of an appointment of the patient, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database a patient profile which includes the date and time of the appointment of the patient;

(b) automatically generating and transmitting an electronic communication to the patient a predetermined number of days before the date of the appointment, the electronic communication including information related to the date and time of the appointment;

(c) receiving authentication information from the patient electronically following the transmission of the electronic communication; and

(d) generating and transmitting a second electronic communication identifying the date and time of the appointment in response to the authentication information.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

(e) receiving an from the patient that the patient is unable to keep the appointment after step (d);

(f) automatically providing a reminder to the patient to reschedule the appointment.

20. A method for managing patient appointment data in a database, the appointment data identifying a patient and a date and time of an appointment of the patient, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database a patient profile which includes the date and time of the appointment of the patient;

(b) automatically generating and transmitting an electronic communication to the patient a predetermined number of days before the date of the appointment, the electronic communication including information related to the date and time of the appointment;

(c) automatically analyzing a plurality of history data in the patient profile in the database, the history data identifying whether the patient has missed previous appointments; and

(d) automatically generating and transmitting a second electronic communication to the patient, thereby to provide an extra reminder to the patient.

21. A method for managing patient appointment data in a database, the appointment data identifying a patient and a date and time of an appointment of the patient, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database a patient profile which includes the date and time of the appointment of the patient;

(b) automatically generating and transmitting an electronic communication to the patient a predetermined number of days before the date of the appointment, the electronic communication including information related to the date and time of the appointment;

(i) validating a phone number of the patient before the date of the appointment; and

(ii) generating and transmitting a notification to a user of the database if the phone number of the patient is not valid.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein step (i) includes checking the phone number for:

a missing area code,

a local exchange that does not match the area code of the phone number,

a seven-digit number having an exchange that does not match a default area code for a seven-digit number, or

a phone number that has an incorrect number of digits.

23. A system for accessing medical information, comprising:

a database for storing a patient profile which includes a plurality of data pertaining to a patient;

means for receiving an update to the patient profile and storing the update in the database;

means for receiving an audio communication which contains an identifier corresponding to the patient;

means for automatically providing a first message including information from the update, if the audio communication is received within a predetermined period of time after the update is received; and

means for automatically generating a telephone call to the patient, if the audio communication is not received within the predetermined period of time after the update is received, the telephone call including a second message informing the patient that an update is available.

24. A system according to claim 23, further comprising:

means for automatically providing the first message including information from the update, if the audio communication is received within a second predetermined period of time after the telephone call.

25. A system according to claim 24, further comprising means for automatically generating a letter to the patient if the audio communication is not received within the second predetermined period.

26. A system according to claim 25, further comprising means for automatically determining whether the telephone call is answered by a human or a machine.

27. A system according to claim 24, further comprising means for playing an audio menu for the patient, said audio menu including options for scheduling an appointment, requesting information about a medical condition, requesting information about a medication, and refilling or renewing a prescription.

28. A system for accessing medical information, comprising:

a database for storing a patient profile which includes a plurality of data pertaining to a patient;

means for receiving an update to the patient profile and storing the update in the database;

means for receiving an audio communication which contains an identifier corresponding to the patient, wherein the audio communication receiving means comprises;

means for receiving a voice audio communication from a telephone caller,

means for receiving a telephone device for the deaf (TDD) communication from a TDD caller, and

means for demodulating a modulated data signal transmitted over a telephone link; and

means for automatically providing a first message including information from the update, if the audio communication is received within a predetermined period of time after the update is received.

29. A system according to claim 28, further comprising means for exchanging digital data signals with a computer via a computer network.

30. A system according to claim 29, wherein the digital data signal exchanging means include means for transmitting hypertext markup language information to a client over the computer network.

31. A machine-readable medium encoded with computer program code for accessing medical information, such that, when the program code is loaded into a computer and the computer executes the computer program code, the computer performs the steps of:

(a) storing in a database a patient profile which includes a plurality of data pertaining to a patient;

(b) receiving an update to the patient profile and storing the update in the database;

(c) automatically providing a first message including data from the update, if an audio communication is received which contains an identifier corresponding to the patient after the update is received; and

(d) automatically generating a telephone call to the patient, if the audio communication is not received within a predeternmined period of time after the update is received, the telephone call including a second message informing the patient that an update is available.

32. A machine-readable medium encoded with computer program code for managing patient appointment data in a database, the appointment data identifying a patient and a date and time of an appointment of the patient, such that, when the program code is loaded into a computer and the computer executes the computer program code, the computer performs the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database a patient profile which includes the date and time of the appointment of the patient;

(b) automatically generating and transmitting a telephone call to the patient a predetermined number of days before the date of the appointment, the telephone call including information related to the date and time of the appointment;

(c) detecting a telephone company intercept tone; and

(d) generating and transmitting a notification requesting a confirmation of the address of the patient in response to the intercept tone.