Method and apparatus for providing a centralized medical record system

• US 7,949,545 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Medical RecordBank, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Medical RecordBank, Inc.
• Inventors: Carabillo, Ernest, Madras, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, LINH GIANG
• Application Number:
  US11/122,254
• Time in Patent Office: 2,212 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 4, 707/9, 707/10
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• 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

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a method of creating and maintaining a centralized medical record system. The method of this embodiment includes establishing, in a computer system, a record associated with a client. (The computer system is in communication with a network to which the client has access and is capable of storing records from a multiplicity of clients having medical information developed at a multiplicity of sources). The method also includes receiving medical data from a source pursuant to a written request by the client to the source for transfer of the medical data to the centralized medical record system. Also the method includes storing and logically associating a representation of the medical data with the record and providing the client with access to the record over the network such that the client may review the representation of the medical data.

Claims

1. A method of creating and maintaining a centralized medical record system comprising:

establishing, in a computer system, a record associated with an account of a client, wherein the client is a patient or a guardian of the patient, the computer system being in communication with a network to which the client has access;

receiving a copy of at least one medical record or item of data, from one or more of a multiplicity of health care entity sources, sent to the centralized medical record system pursuant to a written request by the client to each of the health care entity sources;

producing an electronic representation of each copy received from each of the multiplicity of health care entity sources;

storing, in the centralized medical record system, the representation received and logically associating, with each representation, client information related to the client; and

providing the client with access, via a web page, to each of the representations over the network, each of the representations constituting an accessible entry in the web page, such that the client can review the representations, wherein the web page includes a facility by which the client can provide information describing each representation, such information being stored in logical association with such representation so as to permit subsequent access to and retrieval thereof via the web page, such information including a client-described label that is used in identifying the representation on the web page.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one health care entity source is a physician.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one health care entity source is a clinic.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one health care entity source is a hospital.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing the client with access to each of the representations over the network includes providing the client with access to the representations via the Internet.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing the client with access to a letter template for generating a letter to request that the copy of the medical records and items of data be sent from a source.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the letter template causes the letter to be imprinted with a machine readable code identifying at least the client.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the letter template causes the letter to be imprinted with a machine readable code identifying at least the health care entity source of the medical records or items of data.

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

providing the client with an interface that enables the client to accept or reject the association of the representations with the client.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the information includes a date associated with the medical record or item of data.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the information includes a name of a health care entity associated with the medical record or item of data.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the information includes the client'"'"'s comments regarding the medical record or item of data.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing the client with access to each of the representations over the network includes providing the client with at least one set of passwords.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the client may restrict access provided by one or more of the set of passwords to the representation.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing the client with access to each of the representations includes permitting another party to obtain access to the representation via a password previously forwarded to the client so that the client may grant access to the representation by communicating the password to the other party.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the other party has been identified by the client as being in a category of authorized parties.

17. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the client with an interface that enables the client to activate one or more emergency cards.

18. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing the client with an interface that allows the client to maintain a medical record diary that the client may enter medical information into on a regular basis, each entry of the medical information being dated and stored in the computer system.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the interface includes a place for entry by the patient of a particular illness or condition.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein the account includes an adult account or a custodial account.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising:

transferring the custodial account to a child or ward once the child or ward is no longer under the supervision of a parent or custodian.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein storing includes

placing the representation in a review folder awaiting review by the client, wherein the representations in the review folder are only accessible to the client and not accessible to authorized parties viewing the centralized medical record system.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

allowing the client to accept or reject the representation in the review folder;

if the client accepts, moving the representation from the review folder to a medical record folder so that the representations are accessible to authorized parties viewing the centralized medical record system; and

if the client rejects, removing the representation from the centralized medical record system.

24. A method of accessing a patient'"'"'s medical record or item of data in a centralized medical record system, the method comprising:

storing, in a computer system, copies of medical records and items of data collected from a multiplicity of health care entity sources pursuant to a written request by the patient, the medical records and items of data associated with the patient, the computer system being in communication with a network to which the patient has access;

permitting the patient to provide information describing each copy and storing the information in logical association therewith, such information including a patient-described label that is used in identifying the copy on a graphical user interface; and

accessing the copy via the graphical user interface that displays the stored information.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:

allowing the patient to accept or reject the copy; and

if the patient rejects, removing the copy from the centralized medical record system.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the information includes a date associated with the medical record or item data.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein the information includes a name of a health care entity source associated with the medical record or item data.

28. A method according to claim 24, wherein the information includes the patient'"'"'s comments regarding the medical record or item data.