Secure medical records maintenance system

• US 7,092,891 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Orangehook, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lifestream Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Moody, James L., Nesbitt, Kenn A., Clegg, Kenneth D., Maus, Christopher T., Coad, Craig A., Connolly, Jackson B., Coad, Noah M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIEFKE, SAMUEL P
• Application Number:
  US10/649,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20040038389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 422/68.1, 600/309, 600/310, 705/2, 705/13, 436/811, 709/217, 709/219, 709/203
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150305 Packages specially adapted for piercing devices or blood sampling devices kits for diabetes A61M5/003; packaging in general B65D
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150786 Optical identification systems, e.g. bar codes, colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150854 long distance, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4261 Evaluating exocrine secretion production A61B3/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3271 Amperometric enzyme electrodes for analytes in body fluids, e.g. glucose in blood amperometry per se G01N27/49; aspects concerning the enzyme reagent C12Q1/001
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48792 Data management, e.g. communication with processing unit for in vivo diagnostics A61B5/0002; transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/66 involving blood sugars, e.g. galactose
• 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 10/65 : stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 : ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/811 : Test for named disease, body condition or organ function

Abstract

A secure medical records maintenance system including a first server that stores patient identification information indexed by patient identification numbers (PINs) and a second server that stores patient medical data indexed by medical record identification numbers. For security purposes, the medical data maintained in the second remote server cannot be correlated to the associated patient identification information maintained in the first server based on the information contained in the servers. A correlation table uniquely associating each medical record identification number with a particular one of the patient identification numbers is used to allow correlation of the databases. The correlation table for a particular patient typically resides on a patient'"'"'s removable memory storage device (smartcard). The correlation table for a practaioner'"'"'s patients may also reside on the practitioner'"'"'s computer, which is associated with the licensed medical practitioner having an assigned professional registration number

Claims

1. A secure medical records maintenance system, comprising:

a plurality of removable memory storage devices, each operable for storing medical data for an associated patient, a patient-specified personal identification number, and a medical records identification number secured by the patient-specified personal identification number;

a first remote server operable for storing patient identification information indexed by patient identification numbers;

a second remote server operable for storing patient medical data indexed by the medical records identification numbers;

a correlation table uniquely associating each medical records identification number with a particular one of the patient identification numbers; and

the medical data maintained in the second remote server cannot be correlated to the associated patient identification information maintained in the first remote server based on the information contained in the first and second remote servers.

2. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 1, wherein each removable memory storage device also stores a patient identification number corresponding to the medical records identification number stored on the removable memory storage.

3. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the correlation table is maintained outside the first and second remote servers and made available through secure, restricted access to authorized personnel.

4. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 3, wherein:

the correlation table resides on a practitioner computer associated with a licensed medical practitioner having an assigned professional registration number; and

the first and second remote servers can be accessed by the practitioner computer through encrypted communications secured by an application procedure comprising validation of the practitioner'"'"'s registration number.

5. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 4, wherein the application procedure further comprises receipt and validation of a client-supplied personal identification number.

6. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 5, wherein the application procedure comprises issuance of a client certificate ensuring that access to the first and second remote servers occurs from the practitioner'"'"'s computer.

7. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 1, wherein access is granted to the first remote server, but not to the second server, for the purpose of generating a mailing list of patients without divulging any medical data associated with the patients.

8. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 1, wherein access is granted to the second remote server, but not to the first server, for the purpose of conducting investigative analyses involving patient medical data without divulging any patient identification information associated with the patients.

9. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the medical data stored on each removable memory storage device is automatically erased from the memory storage device after the data is entered into the second remote server.

10. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the removable memory storage device is receivable within a hand-held health monitoring device operable for storing the medical data on the removable memory storage device.

11. The secure medical records maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the removable memory storage device is receivable within a computer operable for transmitting the medical data to the second remote server over the Internet.