Method and a system for effecting transfer of a patient from a hospital via a computer network

• US 8,010,386 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medical Central Online
• Original Assignee: Medical Central Online
• Inventors: Wyatt, Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): Najarian; Lena
• Application Number:
  US10/736,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,815 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4, 600/300
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method and a system for provides bed availability information via a computer network. A healthcare facility may provide bed availability and/or service information to a database on a computer network. Users of the computer network may access the information within the database. The healthcare facility may create a transfer request form for discharge of a patient to an extended care facility. The transfer request form containing patient medical information and/or patient treatment information is reviewed by an agent. The agent decides whether to approve the transfer request. Notifications are sent to the parties involved with the discharge of the patient to the healthcare facility notifying the parties of the decision of the agent.

Claims

1. A method for receiving an approval of a reimbursement guarantee on a computer network from an insurance provider of a patient with a medical need for a transfer of the patient from a hospital to a healthcare facility wherein the healthcare facility has a bed available to accommodate the medical need of the patient, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a computer network;

providing a database connected to the computer network wherein the database includes facility information associated with the bed of the healthcare facility;

inputting a transfer request information for the patient into the database via the computer network wherein the transfer request information is associated with the medical need of the patient;

providing a first access to the database to view the transfer request information and the facility information by the insurance provider via the computer network;

determining a suitability of the bed of the healthcare facility to accommodate the medical need of the patient;

determining if the transfer of the patient from the hospital to the healthcare facility is medically necessary based on the medical need of the patient; and

inputting the suitability of the bed of the healthcare facility to accommodate the medical need of the patient into the database by the insurance provider via the computer network wherein the approval of the reimbursement guarantee for the transfer of the patient is based on the suitability of the bed of the healthcare facility to accommodate the medical need of the patient and whether the transfer of the patient from the hospital to the healthcare facility is medically necessary.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer network is the internet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first access to the database is effected via wireless communication.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

communicating a notice to the healthcare facility and the hospital via the computer network wherein the notice is associated with the approval of the reimbursement guarantee.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

notifying a transportation resource of the approval of the reimbursement guarantee via the computer network wherein the transportation resource transports the patient from the hospital to the healthcare facility.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a remote server; and

storing the database on the remote server.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing a second access to the database to view the transfer request information by the healthcare facility and the hospital via the computer network.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

inputting the facility information into the database via the computer network.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing codes to the healthcare facility and the hospital via the computer network for the approval of the reimbursement guarantee.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing a form on a computer website to input the transfer request information into the database wherein the computer website is remote with respect to the database.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the transportation resource is an ambulance service.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first access to the database is a hyperlink in a webpage on the computer network.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

scheduling an interview of the patient via the computer network wherein the interview determines the suitability of the bed of the healthcare facility to accommodate the medical need of the patient.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

granting permissions to the hospital and the healthcare facility to input the suitability of the bed of the healthcare facility to accommodate the medical need of the patient into the database via the computer network.