Internet medical information system (IMED)

• US 7,668,734 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Timothy Pugh
• Original Assignee: Timothy Pugh
• Inventors: Pugh, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISIASZEK, AMBER ALTSCHUL
• Application Number:
  US11/400,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20060229919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4
• US Class Current: 705/2
• 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

Abstract

A system for creating, maintaining and selectively accessing medical histories. The system allows a patient and other selected parties to build a medical history, but importantly places the authority to grant access to the medical history solely in the hands of the patient. When the patient'"'"'s medical history file is created, the patient also pre-authorizes selected parties, including government agencies such as FEMA to have access to at least part of the patient'"'"'s history. Each selected party is associated with an access module that dictates the level of access the party has to the medical history. Primary care physicians are associated with a full access module, which allows full access to the patient'"'"'s medical history. Dentists and pharmacies are associated with a limited access module, which limits the party'"'"'s access to only pertinent portions of the patient'"'"'s medical history. The present system also includes a fingerprint scanner and/or retina scanner that can be used to identify unconscious patients and patients without an I.D. card.

Claims

1. A system for creating, maintaining and accessing medical histories and, in emergencies, for providing pre-authorized access to the medical histories, wherein patients pre-authorize selected parties to access the histories and wherein access to the histories is limited for many of the selected parties, the system comprising:

at least one server, which has stored therein;

at least one database, the at least one database, storing multiple patient files, wherein each patient file is associated with a patient and contains patient information, wherein the patient information defines a medical history of the associated patient, the patient information being stored in multiple fields within each patient file;

the at least one server also having stored therein multiple access modules, wherein each access module is associated with a selected party and at least one patient file, further wherein each access module comprises multiple data files, and at least one of the data files is an access file that contains limiting information that dictates an amount of the patient'"'"'s medical history the associated selected party may access;

a network, wherein the at least one sever is connected to the network;

a computer, wherein the computer is associated with an access module and is connected to the network, wherein the selected party associated with the access module is able to gain access to the at least one patient file in the server in accordance with the access file, and wherein the patients can use the computer to authorize access to their medical histories without the aid of an identification card or a smart card; and

,

an identification device that is connected to the computer, capable of identifying the patient upon physical interaction with the patient, even when the patient is unconscious, and wherein upon identification, the selected party is able to access the patient'"'"'s medical history in the server in accordance with the associated access module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification device is a biometric reading device, including a fingerprint scanner and a retina scanner.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification device is an electro-magnetic card reader capable of reading a card with an electro-magnetic strip, and wherein only connection related information is stored on the card that assists in connection to the server and access to the files and modules stored in the server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the multiple data files is an administration file that provides an interface for the patient and the selected party and assists in creating the patient files and associating at least one access module to each patient file.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the administration file also provides an interface for the patient and the selected party to update the patient'"'"'s medical history.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some patient information and at least one access module are stored on the computer.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a printer that is attached to the computer, and wherein at least one of the multiple data files is a forms file that includes at least one authorization form that can be printed on the printer, the authorization form having a signature area for the patient to sign.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the authorization form includes an authorization statement, authorizing access to at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s medical history.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected party is a primary care physician or emergency room and the access modules allow full access to all of the patient'"'"'s medical history.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected party is a dentist office and the access module limits access, to the patient'"'"'s medical history, to information that is required by a dentist.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected party is a pharmacy and the access module limits access, to the patient'"'"'s medical history, to information regarding medications and allergies.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected party is medical specialist and the access module limits access, to the patient'"'"'s medical history, to information required by the medical specialist.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected party is a state agency, including a firearm ownership registration agency, and the access module limits access to patient information related to mental illness.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected party is a school and the access module limits access to patient information regarding immunization records.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected party is a law office and the access module limits access to patient information required by the law office, including living wills, including do not resuscitate (DNR) orders, and information the law office needs to prosecute a personal injury case and a workman'"'"'s compensation case.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient information includes name, address, phone number(s), date of birth, a picture, primary care doctor'"'"'s name and phone number(s), pharmacy information, medication information and allergy information.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient information includes in-case-of-emergency contact information, insurance information, blood type, disease/illness information, lab test results, and past 30, 60, and 90 day sub-histories.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the identification device allows the patient to further limit the medical history that is displayed on the computer to a past 30, 60 or 90 sub-history.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected party is a federal agency, including the federal emergency management agency, and the access module limits access to patient information regarding current medical condition, current medications, allergies, emergency contact information and location information.